Teenage Forward Kostoulas Stars as Brighton rout Arsenal
The Guardian
The short version
- Brighton beat Arsenal 3-0 in the Premier League.
- Charalampos Kostoulas, 19, scored from 25 yards, his third goal in eight days.
- He has started twice as many league games this season as in his first campaign, when he backed up Danny Welbeck.
- Fabian Hürzeler highlighted the teenager's motivation and growing professionalism.
The 19-year-old scored from 25 yards in Brighton's 3-0 win over the reigning Premier League champions.
Brighton's convincing 3-0 victory over Arsenal featured a standout performance from 19-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas. The Greek teenager, nicknamed 'Babis' back home after former Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta, has doubled his Premier League starting appearances this season compared with his first campaign in England, when he served as cover for Danny Welbeck.
Facing the reigning champions, Kostoulas troubled Gabriel Magalhães and the Arsenal defense throughout the match. He sealed his display with a long-range strike from 25 yards, his third goal in the space of eight days.
Manager Fabian Hürzeler praised the young forward afterwards, saying Brighton always knew he could score goals from nothing. Hürzeler also pointed to the player's inner drive to improve daily, noting that Kostoulas is growing more professional and grasping the demands of both the Premier League and the club.
Kostoulas's breakthrough came in the same week that 16-year-old Max Dowman drew widespread attention, adding to the sense that a new generation of young talent is emerging in English football's top flight.
Written by the Matchday Live desk from reporting by The Guardian.
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