Brief

Brighton beat Sunderland 2-0 despite playing with ten men

Maxim De Cuyper and Jaouen Hadjam scored as Brighton held on after Pascal Struijk was sent off.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 11 Oct 2026 01:08:22 GMT

Brighton earned a 2-0 win at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Monday, despite being reduced to ten men in the second half, Independent reported.

What happened

Maxim De Cuyper opened the scoring in the 53rd minute after a quick passing move, slipping the ball into the bottom corner. Four minutes later, Pascal Struijk received a red card after a VAR review deemed his foul on Isidor a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity, leaving Brighton with ten players. In stoppage time, Jaouen Hadjam added a third‑minute‑into‑added‑time goal to seal the win.

What the reports add

The article notes that Sunderland struggled to exploit their numerical advantage, with several chances blocked by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. It also mentions that Brighton made no changes from their previous 3-0 victory over Arsenal, while Sunderland fielded a side that had lost 5-3 to Manchester City before the international break.

What was said

The piece does not contain direct quotations from players or managers.

How it came about

Brighton entered the match having secured a 3-0 win over Arsenal, maintaining a position in the Premier League top four. Sunderland, after a heavy defeat to Manchester City, were looking to climb out of the relegation zone. The red card to Struijk came after a VAR review, a decision that shifted the tactical balance but did not prevent Brighton from extending their lead.