Brighton Begin Conference League Campaign With 4-0 Win as Monaco Claim Victory

Posted : 16 October 2026

Brighton made an emphatic start to their UEFA Conference League campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over Lithuania’s Kauno Zalgiris on Thursday. Meanwhile, Monaco secured a 2-1 away win against CSKA Sofia, giving the French side a positive start to their European campaign.

Brighton broke the deadlock late in the first half when Georginio Rutter finished a cutback from Ibrahim Osman. The goal was confirmed after a VAR review, which determined that Osman had kept the ball in play before delivering the pass.

Rutter then turned provider, setting up Jack Hinshelwood to double Brighton’s advantage just before the interval. The French forward scored again in the 53rd minute, putting the hosts firmly in control before Matt O’Riley completed the scoring with a header to seal an impressive victory.

The result extended Brighton’s winning streak in all competitions to five matches. They secured their place in the league phase after defeating Norwegian side Tromso 4-0 in the play-off round in August.

Brighton previously reached the last 16 of the Europa League during their 2023-24 European campaign. They are now among the leading contenders for the Conference League title and will aim to become the next English club to win the competition, following Chelsea and Crystal Palace, while West Ham also lifted the trophy in 2023.

Monaco also began their European campaign with a valuable away victory, beating CSKA Sofia 2-1 in Bulgaria. Paris Brunner opened the scoring early, continuing his impressive form in front of goal, before setting up Ansu Fati to double Monaco’s advantage shortly before half-time.

CSKA Sofia reduced the deficit through Joel Zwarts in the second half, creating a tense finish, but Monaco held on to secure all three points. The result gave the French side a positive start to their Conference League campaign.

Elsewhere, Ajax suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat away to Hajduk Split, while Atalanta recorded a comfortable 3-1 victory over Pafos. Trabzonspor also impressed, defeating Finland’s KuPS Kuopio 4-2 away from home, with former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah among the goalscorers.

Freiburg continued their strong run with a 3-2 win over Czech side Jablonec, while Hearts shared the points in a 1-1 draw against Danish opponents Nordsjælland. The opening round delivered a mixture of convincing wins and unexpected results as clubs began their campaigns in the competition.

Brighton Begin Conference League Campaign With 4-0 Win as Monaco Claim Victory

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