Report and reaction as Albion beat Chelsea 3-0

Albion up to eighth in the Premier League after a wonder goal from Kaoru Mitoma and two by Yankuba Minteh seal 3-0 win at the Amex.

Bruce Talbot

2025-02-14T21:55+00:00

Sliding in: Kaoru Mitoma celebrates his brilliant goal against Chelsea. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Yankuba Minteh scored twice after a goal of the season contender by Kaoru Mitoma as Albion beat Chelsea for the second time in six days to climb to eighth in the Premier League.

Mitoma produced an outrageous piece of skill and a finish to match in the 27th minute to score his eighth goal of the season. Minteh then pocketed two close-range goals either side of half-time – his first at the Amex since the October win over Spurs.

Kaoru Mitoma's shot is on its way into the bottom corner. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Chelsea had been more threatening for the first 25 minutes with Cole Palmer wasting two good shooting opportunities before Mitoma’s moment of magic changed the momentum. Bart Verbruggen’s long ball dropped over his shoulder and was controlled with a wonderful touch of his right foot. Mitoma cut inside Trevoh Chalobah and swept a right-foot shot into the bottom corner. Sensational.

Adam Webster blocked Pedro Neto’s shot as Albion defended diligently before striking six minutes before the break. Georginio Rutter’s cross was diverted goalwards by Levi Colwill. Filip Jorgensen kept it out with an outstretched leg but Danny Welbeck seized on the loose ball and set up Minteh who beat Marc Cucurrella and fired low into the net.

Smiles better: Yankuba Minteh after doubling Albion's lead. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

In the 62nd minute Albion broke to devastating effect to make it 3-0. Welbeck won the ball off Colwill and slipped a pass inside Jadon Sancho to Minteh. Once again Minteh left Cucurrella trailing as he beat Jorgensen with a powerful shot inside the near post.

Yankuba Minteh is floating on air after making it 3-0 with his second goal. 📷 James Boardman.

It should have been more. Jorgensen denied Mitoma, Joao Pedro fired over and Joel Veltman hit the post after a wonderful pick-out by Yasin Ayari. Verbruggen preserved a deserved clean sheet with a late save to deny Christopher Nkunku on a night when Albion did pretty much everything right.

The line-up

Verbruggen, Veltman, Webster, van Hecke, Lamptey, Baleba (Ayari 83), Hinshelwood (Gomez 73), Minteh (Adingra 89), Mitoma, Rutter (Joao Pedro 73), Welbeck © (O’Riley 83).

Subs not used: Rushworth, Gruda, Cashin, Wieffer.

Referee: C. Kavanagh.

What they said

Fabian Hurzler: "I am happy for the team. I think they defended well and showed togetherness on the pitch. In general, it was a good performance."

"I don’t think I have seen control like that in my coaching career like Kaoru did. But have to also mention Bart Verbruggen, who made a mistake in the last game, for showing this personality and making this assist. It was a great touch and shot from Mitoma but you always need somebody to assist you.

"We analysed the Nottingham Forest game and it was then important to stay calm and do the basic things right. We tried to work hard and bounce back on the pitch because talking does not help in moments like that. The most important thing is we make the supporters proud and give them what they deserved, which we have done in these two games against Chelsea."

Fabian Hurzeler praised a 'good performance' by his side in the 3-0 win over Chelsea. 📷 James Boardman.

"I always say that I trust the process and I did not change my approach. The players showed great character and the right reaction."

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca: “We feel sorry for our fans. We cannot give them that type of performance. When you don’t win games they are right to be upset. It was our worst performance since I arrived.

“The result is worse than last Saturday. We struggled to create many chances. It looked too easy [for us] to concede chances. Injuries are part of the reason. We approached the game quite well but after the Mitoma goal we lost something.”

What's next

Albion head to St Mary's to face bottom of the table Southampton next Saturday before hosting AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday 25 February.