Brighton Held 0-0 by Jablonec as Winning Run Ends in Conference League
Brighton were held to a 0-0 draw by Czech side Jablonec at the Stadion Střelnice on Thursday, October 22, in round two of the Conference League league phase. The result ended Brighton's run of six straight wins in all competitions, and denied them a seventh.
Fabian Hürzeler's side, who are the top scorers in the Premier League with 23 goals from their first seven matches, drew a rare blank. They had 72% of the possession, completed 502 accurate passes to Jablonec's 142, and had 26 shots to the hosts' nine. Both teams hit the target four times. Brighton also had seven corners and 42 crosses, but Jablonec's aerial work and positioning stood up.
Brighton pinned the hosts in their own half for the first 20 minutes. Jack Hinshelwood came closest when his shot from outside the box was pushed away by Jablonec goalkeeper Jan Hanuš. Ibrahim Osman also had a shot saved in the ninth minute. Jablonec had been given little chance before the match, and their coach Luboš Kozel had said his team would need a "miracle" to get anything from the game.
Georginio Rutter, who scored twice in Brighton's opening 4-0 win over Kauno Žalgiris, failed to convert two good chances just before half-time. Malick Yalcouyé thought he had put Brighton in front five minutes into the second half. He went through on goal and slotted the ball in, but he had mistimed his run and was caught offside.
Hürzeler made four substitutions with around 25 minutes remaining, as the hosts pushed for a winner. The changes had little effect. Brighton left themselves exposed at the back, and Jablonec arguably had the two biggest chances of the match. Jablonec defender Antonín Růsek headed a corner narrowly wide.
Rutter had one last chance to win it in stoppage time, but his snapshot was beaten away by Hanuš. The final whistle blew with the match goalless.
Hürzeler said afterwards that Jablonec defended well, but overall it was not the result his side wanted. Brighton have four points from their first two matches in the league phase, while Jablonec have one point.