Spectacular Carlos Baleba effort helps Brighton past Wolves in Carabao Cup

Carlos Baleba’s stunning 30-yard strike put Brighton on course for a nail-biting 3-2 victory against Premier League rivals Wolves in the

Carabao Cup third round. Cameroon midfielder Baleba scored his first Seagulls goal in the 19th minute, before Simon Adingra extended

the lead at the Amex Stadium with another stunning strike.

Wolves greatly improved after Goncalo Guedes’ 44th-minute score reversed the tide, but were made to pay for their profligacy when Ferdi

Kadioglu’s late finish gave Albion breathing space.

Tommy Doyle revived hopes of forcing a penalty shootout in added time by blasting home via the underside of the crossbar, but the hosts

held on to continue their unblemished start under head coach Fabian Hurzeler.

Brighton made eight changes after Saturday’s dismal goalless draw with Ipswich, while Wanderers’ only starter remained Joao Gomes

following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle.

Baleba, one of the three Seagulls players who kept their position, deftly opened the goal in the fourteenth minute.

The 20-year-old dispossessed Gomes deep in opposition territory before bending into the bottom-left corner from range and celebrating

the historic strike with a cartwheel and a backflip.

Albion scored again nine minutes later, but Yankuba Minteh was offside when he converted after Evan Ferguson’s first shot struck Jose Sa

and wiggled towards goal.

Wolves forward Guedes forced Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele to save his powerful effort on the half-hour mark, and the visitors fell

further down a minute later.

After being given time and space on the left wing, Adingra cut inside and rifled into the bottom right corner from the fringe of the D.

Hurzeler’s side appeared to be coasting into the next round, but Wolves breathed new life into the game a minute before halftime.

Rodrigo Gomes freed Matt Doherty on the left, and Guedes sidefooted his cutback into the right corner after a deflection from Adam

Webster.

Brighton were on the back foot after dominating the first half.

Only Steele’s legs saved Gomes from equalizing just seconds into the second session, while Pablo Sarabia came near to putting in Guedes’

low cross in the 59th minute.

Albion continued to live carelessly and experienced more tense moments.

Jack Hinshelwood saved Webster’s own goal by hacking it off the line, before Guedes wasted a shot wide of the left post.

Brighton were jittery at the back but advanced to the fourth round five minutes from time.

Wolves goalkeeper Sa could only deflect Danny Welbeck’s original shot, but fellow replacement Kadioglu was on hand to convert his first

Seagulls goal.

The straightforward finish appeared to have killed the contest, but there was still time for Doyle to raise the tension by blasting in after

Brighton recklessly gave away possession within their own 18-yard box.

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