Diego Gomez stole the show with a remarkable four-goal performance as Brighton & Hove Albion cruised to a 6-0 victory against Barnsley in the EFL Cup. The Paraguayan midfielder, who joined Brighton from Inter Miami in January, produced a stunning display, including a first-half hat-trick, to propel his team into the fourth round of the competition.
Brighton, managed by Fabian Hurzeler, made eight changes to the side that drew with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. Despite the changes, the Seagulls started brightly, with Gomez playing a key role in the early attacking moves. In the 5th minute, Gomez's defence-splitting pass set up Stefanos Tzimas, but his effort was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle. However, Brighton didn't have to wait long to break the deadlock.
In the 9th minute, Tom Watson capitalized on a deflected shot from Carlos Baleba and squared the ball to Gomez, who drilled a low, first-time finish into the net. Barnsley responded with Luca Connell's free-kick, but Brighton quickly regained control, with Gomez again at the forefront.
Gomez doubled Brighton's lead in the 21st minute with a sensational strike. After receiving a pass from Watson, the 22-year-old unleashed a blistering shot from the edge of the penalty area, which soared into the roof of the net.
The Paraguayan completed his hat-trick in the 33rd minute with an even more spectacular goal. After a headed clearance from Barnsley's Jake Rooney, the ball fell to Gomez, who unleashed a stunning volley from 30 yards out. The shot arced over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net, sending the Brighton fans into raptures. Brighton's official X account described Gomez's third goal as "one of the best goals we've ever seen live".
Gomez wasn't done yet, as he added his fourth goal in the second half. He made it 4-0 after being put through by Danny Welbeck. Later in the game, substitutes Harry Howell and Yasin Ayari also got on the scoresheet, completing the 6-0 rout. This is the second consecutive EFL Cup match where Brighton has scored six goals, having previously defeated Oxford United 6-0.
The emphatic victory sees Brighton advance to the last 16 of the EFL Cup for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The draw for the next round will take place soon, with Brighton hoping to continue their impressive run in the competition. The final is slated for March 22, 2026.
