Uefa Conference League: Fabian Hurzeler makes Brighton admission after Jablonec stalemate

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said they were ‘lucky’ as they drew a rare blank in their a goalless draw at Czech minnows Jablonec in the Conference League.

The Premier League’s top scorers, who have scored 23 goals across their first seven matches, misfired badly in the foothills of the Jizera Mountains in northern Czechia.

Hurzeler said: “They defended well, they defended the box good, they had good moments in their transition.

“But not the result we wanted, but we have to keep going. If you play 0-0, then you didn't create enough, so that's definitely something where we have to get better.”

It’s only Brighton second time in European competition and their first away match in the league phase of the Conferecne League. They also drew 0-0 in the first leg of their qualifier at Norwegian club Tromso back in August.

Hurzeler: We were not good

Hurzeler added: “We have to understand what it means to play in this cup, we have to understand that we have to be brilliant at the basics and we weren't good at the basic things today.

“That's something we have to improve on. Good defending [from Jablonec]. [Our] crosses not where we wanted to have them, good defending, a little bit of precision in the last section was missin and that's something we have to improve on.

“The longer the game got, the more space they had for making transitions, we were trying to push hard for scoring the goal.

“And then of course they also had spaces where they could make counter-movements, and they were also quite effective, so in certain moments we were lucky.

“Wwe always learn, and I think it's important to take things away from this game [Liverpool] and try to improve it in the next game.

“That's why there's no time for a lot of disappointment, we have to focus on the next game.”

No miracle required

Jablonec coach Lubos Kozel had said his side would need a “miracle” to get anything from the match.

It turned out they only needed a below-par display from the favourites to lift the trophy to take a point, and in fact they could have had all three.

Around 1,000 Seagulls fans made the trip from the Sussex coast to the homely Stadion Strelnice in the city of Jablonec nad Nisou.

These are heady days for their team, who lie third in the English top flight, fresh from Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing of M23 rivals Crystal Palace.

Boss Fabian Hurzeler, in his 100th match in charge, made eight changes from that memorable win with only Bart Verbruggen, Olivier Boscagli and the omnipresent Pascal Gross keeping their places.

They pinned the hosts in their own half for the first 20 minutes but Jack Hinshelwood’s shot was saved by Jablonec keeper Jan Hanus while Gross and Ibrahim Osman were off target.

Jablonec eventually got far enough forward to win a corner, which Antonín Rusek headed narrowly wide.

Verbruggen alert

Goalkeeper Verbruggen also had to be alert to smother a cute backheel from Rusek.

But they were rare moments of concern for the Seagulls, although they were frustrated in front of goal in the first half.

Georginio Rutter was cleverly put through by Gross but flashed his shot across the face of goal and wide, and Boscagli fired over from long range.

Early in the second half Rutter’s pass found Osman, but his effort flew wide before Malick Yalcouye tucked the ball into the net, only to be flagged offside.

Then Osman’s reverse pass got Matt O’Riley in behind, but his fizzing ball across the six-yard box could not find Rutter.

Hurzeler had seen enough after Osman blazed another chance high over the crossbar, making four changes with Chema Andres, Luka Vuskovic, Yasin Ayari and Promise David sent on.

Jablonec were dangerous

However, the changes had little effect and Jablonec were looking the likelier to score towards the end.

Rusek almost capitalised on a mistake by Joao Costinha before Verbruggen had to make a spectacular fingertip save to prevent Jiri Slama’s drive from hitting the top corner.

Rutter, who scored twice in Brighton’s opening 4-0 victory over Kauno Zalgiris, had a chance to win it in stoppage time but his snapshot was beaten away by Hanus.