Fabian Hurzeler's reaction to Brighton teenager’s stunning bicycle kick against Bournemouth

On Monday, January 19, there was a south coast battle at the Amex Stadium as Brighton hosted Bournemouth.

Brighton came into the game on the back of a steady run of league form, having drawn 1-1 with Manchester City, beaten Burnley 2-0 and shared the points in a 2-2 draw away at West Ham in their previous three outings.

Pascal Gross made his first start since May 2024 following his return from Borussia Dortmund, while Carlos Baleba was fit enough to be named among the substitutes after Fabian Hürzeler opted to manage his minutes.

The hosts dominated possession in the opening stages, with their best early chance coming from a set piece, a corner routine that forced Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic into a smart save.

Despite Brighton’s control, it was the visitors who took the lead.

After a VAR review overturned an initial booking for simulation, Bournemouth were awarded a penalty, which Marcus Tavernier converted in the 31st minute.

Bournemouth threatened to double their advantage before the break when Evanilson struck the post, although the effort was later ruled out for offside.

The second half was tense and fractured, with both sides struggling to find rhythm or clear chances as the game drifted towards a narrow away victory.

That changed in the first minute of stoppage time.

With Brighton facing a frustrating defeat, 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas produced a moment that lifted the stadium.

Positioned with his back to goal near the penalty spot, the youngster brought the ball down on his chest before launching an acrobatic overhead kick beyond Petrovic and into the net, sparking manic celebrations among the home support.

It was a stunning piece of skill in a fixture short on quality.

That goal ensured the points were shared and shifted the focus away from a first-half penalty decision that had dominated the discussion in this one.

Rather than the match being remembered for a lengthy VAR review and a controversial spot-kick, it was Kostoulas’ composure and technique under pressure that provided the defining image of the night.

During the post-match press conference, the Albion Head Coach was asked about his goal.

Fabian Hurzeler said: “It’s a great goal, but in the end we all prefer to win these kinds of games.

“These kinds of goals are something he has already shown sometimes in training sessions.

"(But) it’s not like we give him the ball 20 times in those positions and expect him to finish like that.

"We work on more serious things than this, controlling the ball and working defensively, and I think those are more important.

"But he has the skill to do these things, we know that.”