If Aston Villa want to beat Wolves in the Premier League this weekend, they need only shoot whenever 25 yards within goal. Right now, it must feel as if they’re all flying in to Gary O’Neil after this Carabao Cup exit.
Following on from the two screamers conceded to Newcastle, Brighton twice struck from outside of the box at the Amex Stadium, one of those seeing Carlos Baleba grab his first-ever goal and the other coming from Simon Adingra amid dire defending from the visitors.
Wolves pushed until the end of this tie, but a third goal from Ferdi Kadioglu made sure of the Seagulls' safe passage into the fourth round.
This maintained Fabian Hurzeler’s unbeaten start as Brighton manager, even including the matches played in pre-season. Hurzeler made eight changes to Wolves’ 10 for this clash with Evan Ferguson brought in.
It was not so long ago that Ferguson was being touted as ‘the next Alan Shearer’, though a serious ankle injury had stunted the 19-year-old’s progress in 2024. Jose Sa looked comfortable enough collecting his early strike, but it was when Ferguson’s team-mates began shooting from distance that Wolves’ goalkeeper showed why Sam Johnstone is now first choice in the Premier League.
Carlos Baleba scored a brilliant long range goal as Brighton beat Wolves in the Carabao Cup
The Cameroonian curled the ball into the far corner from 30 yards to open the scoring
Baleba performed a somersault as he celebrated breaking the deadlock in the third round tie
After 14 minutes, Brighton’s high press allowed Baleba to steal the ball from Joao Gomes before taking aim from 25 yards. Having never scored before, the 20-year-old talent celebrated making it 1-0 with two acrobatic flips and a jig.
At the other end, Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele showed Sa how it is done as he tipped over Goncalo Guedes’s venomous shot from the same yardage as Baleba.
Yankuba Minteh’s tap-in was disallowed for offside, but Brighton’s 2-0 lead was confirmed after 31 minutes when Adingra breezed beyond Santiago Bueno before beating Sa from 20 yards.
Before the break, Wolves got a goal back, the lively Guedes finishing a cut-back after a flowing move by the visitors.
The Brighton players celebrate with Carlos Adingra (2nd right) after he doubled the lead
Ferdi Kadioglu scored the home side's third goal in an entertaining clash at the Amex Stadium
How the visitors did not then go on to equalise, only they know, with Rodrigo Gomes failing when he only had Steele to beat and Guedes dragging wide. Adam Webster feared he had helped Wolves by scoring an own goal as the ball trickled towards Brighton’s empty net, only for Jack Hinshelwood to clear spectacularly in the nick of time.
Brighton punished Wolves’ wastefulness in the 85th minute when Kadioglu netted on the rebound. In stoppage time, Tommy Doyle bagged a belter from the edge of the box, but it was too late for the comeback as Hurzeler’s side secured their spot in the Carabao Cup's next round.