Fabian Hurzeler was pleased with Brighton’s ability to get the job done after the Seagulls secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Getafe in the UEFA Conference League.
It was not a performance that reached the highest standards set by the Brighton manager, but the result was exactly what his team needed. Against a stubborn Getafe side, Albion had to show patience, discipline and the determination to find a breakthrough in a difficult away atmosphere.
The narrow victory also extended Brighton’s defensive run in the competition, with the Premier League side recording their fifth consecutive clean sheet. For Hurzeler, that defensive consistency was a major positive, even if he admitted his players were not at their best.
“It’s what we expected,” he said. “These games in the Conference League are different. You have to beat the low block. You have to understand what the opponents are looking for in the game, and therefore you have to always be patient in these games.
“I think we did it today. We didn’t play our best game, to be fair. We had a few moments where we didn’t do the simple things on the highest level, but in the end we kept a clean sheet — the fifth clean sheet in a row in this tournament — and then we scored the goal and I think we deserved to win this game.
“It’s always important to find solutions, and I have to give a lot of praise to my team because in the end, the players deliver on the pitch. I think it’s also a mindset thing. You played twice against Manchester City away then you go to Getafe.
“In Getafe you don’t know what you expect. You play an away game where you have a very loud and energetic atmosphere, and you have to be ready for that.
“I think my players did it today, not on the highest level, but in these games you have to win it, and that’s what we did today.”
Hurzeler’s comments underlined the challenge Brighton faced against opponents who were determined to make space difficult to find. Breaking down a low defensive block requires more than possession; it demands intelligent movement, patience and the ability to recognise the right moment to attack.
Brighton did not produce their most fluent display, but they showed enough composure to secure the decisive goal and protect their advantage. The clean sheet was another indication of the defensive organisation developing within the squad, with five successive shutouts in the Conference League providing a strong platform for their European ambitions.
The manager also highlighted the mental demands of switching between challenging away fixtures. Having faced Manchester City twice on the road, Brighton travelled to Getafe knowing they would encounter a different kind of test, particularly with the intensity of the home crowd.
Ultimately, Hurzeler was less concerned about style points than the outcome. His players had been challenged to find a solution, withstand the pressure and leave Spain with all three points.
Brighton’s 1-0 triumph delivered exactly that. It may not have been their finest performance, but another clean sheet and another European victory gave Hurzeler plenty of reasons to be satisfied.
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