Brighton vs Tromso: Albion cruise into league phase
Ended 4-0 at the Amex Stadium, sending Albion into the Conference League league phase after a goalless first leg in Norway. Charalampos Kostoulas, Maxim De…
BRIGHTON — Brighton vs Tromso ended with a 4-0 win for Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Thursday, August 27, sending Fabian Hurzeler’s side into the UEFA Conference League league phase.
The second leg had started with everything level after a 0-0 draw in Norway, but Brighton turned the tie quickly and never let Tromso settle. The home side scored four times, controlled the match from the first whistle and booked their place in Friday’s draw.
Brighton vs Tromso swung fast after the break in Norway
Brighton came into the night frustrated by the first leg. ESPN said Albion had failed to capitalise on 25 attempts at goal in that match, which left the return leg as a straight shootout at home.
They answered with a much sharper edge. Charalampos Kostoulas opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, Maxim De Cuyper doubled the lead in the 33rd minute, and Mats Wieffer made it 3-0 in the 38th minute. Olivier Boscagli added a fourth late on, with his effort deflecting in to seal the result.
Sky Sports listed the match as a UEFA Conference League qualifying play-off at 7:30pm on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Tromso were left chasing the game after Brighton’s first-half burst, and the visitors never found a way back.
Home advantage made the difference
Brighton had said before kick-off that they wanted to use home advantage to book a place in the Conference League league phase. That is exactly how the night unfolded. The side were more ruthless, more direct and far cleaner in front of goal than in the first leg.
ESPN reported that Albion made two changes from the side that beat Aston Villa 4-0 in the Premier League on Sunday. Kostoulas and Matt O’Riley came in for injured pair Georginio Rutter and Jack Hinshelwood. The team still looked strong, and the changes did not slow them down.
There was also a pre-match moment for new signing Jaouen Hadjam, who Brighton unveiled before kick-off following his move from Swiss champions Young Boys. A minute’s applause followed in memory of former Seagulls manager Mike Bailey, who died last week aged 84.
Brighton pressed early and forced Tromso into mistakes. That pattern set the tone. The visitors repeatedly tried to play out from the back, but Brighton kept winning the ball in dangerous areas and making them pay.
The first goal came after De Cuyper dispossessed Isak Dahlquist deep inside Tromso territory. Kostoulas turned and fired a first-time finish into the bottom-right corner from 20 yards for his first goal since January.
Seven minutes later, Brighton struck again. Leon Hien, on as an early replacement for the injured Vetle Skjaervik, was left exposed inside his own box after a short goal-kick. De Cuyper pounced and slotted home.
Then came the third. Boscagli’s low cross from the left flicked up off Kostoulas’ heels and dropped into the path of Wieffer, who finished from close range. The home crowd were already in full voice. The chant about Villa in disguise carried around the ground soon after, underlining how one-sided the tie had become.
Brighton added the fourth late on through Boscagli, whose shot took a deflection before beating the goalkeeper. Tromso had spent much of the night under pressure, and Brighton finished the job with little drama.
Brighton now move on to Friday’s draw with their place in the Conference League league phase secured, while Tromso’s run ends after a second leg in which the gap between the sides looked wider than the scoreline from Norway had suggested.
For Albion, the bigger figure is simple: 4-0. Clean, convincing, and enough to turn a tense playoff into a comfortable passage through.
