by Joel Omotto
Yves Bissouma was on target while Enock Mwepu walked off injured as Brighton and Hove Albion thumped Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 in the Premier League at Molineux on Saturday.
Mali midfielder Bissouma picked up a rebound from the edge of the box before unleashing a low shot into the bottom left corner which Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa was unable to save for Brighton’s third goal.
Bissouma had an outstanding game, dictating play from the base of the midfield, after starting in the Brighton engine room alongside Zambia captain Mwepu and Moises Caicedo as Seagulls manager Graham Potter opted for a 3-5-2 system to mirror his opponents’ formation.
The Malian had a 91 percent pass completion rate while winning three tackles and his only foray upfront yielded one shot that turned out to be Brighton’s third goal.
Meanwhile, Mwepu limped off injured after going down in the 62nd minute just before Brighton took a corner and after receiving treatment on the pitch, he was unable to continue with Adam Webster replacing him.
The midfielder walked off holding his groin accompanied by Brighton’s medical team, sparking fears among the Seagulls and Chipolopolo fans.
Before he came off, Mwepu had looked sharp as he played in a more advanced position, troubling the Wolves defence with incisive running before testing Sa with two long-range efforts in the seventh minute and 14th minutes which the Portuguese parried away.
Mwepu had a total of three shots with a 79 per cent pass completion rate and also won one tackle before he came off injured. Brighton and Zambia fans will hope that his injury is not so bad, as his debut season in the Premier League has been disrupted by injuries already.
Mwepu missed close to three months after suffering a hamstring injury in January and only returned to action as a substitute against NorwichCity in a Premier League clash on April 2.
Brighton’s first goal arrived after 42 minutes via the penalty spot courtesy of Alexis MacAllister after Danny Welbeck, who was through on goal, was brought down in the box.
MacAllister atoned for his earlier miss after his 32nd minute penalty hit the base of Sa's right-hand post after Romain Saiss had been penalised for handling the ball in the area.
Leandro Trossard scored Brighton’s second with a neat volley after some good exchanges in the Wolves box.
Wolves, who left the pitch to a chorus of boos from the handful of supporters left at the Molineux, have now lost three straight games, slipping to eighth on the table on 49 points, five ahead of ninth-placed Brighton, who returned to winning ways following last week’s 2-2 draw with Southampton.