Gomez Shines as Brighton Crush Barnsley 6-0 in EFL Cup
It was a night to remember at Oakwell, but unfortunately not for the home fans. Barnsley were on the receiving end of a masterclass as Brighton & Hove Albion stormed through to the fourth round of the EFL Cup with a commanding 6-0 victory. The star of the evening was Diego Gómez, the Paraguayan midfielder who almost single-handedly decided the tie with four brilliant goals.
From the very start, Brighton set the tone. Just nine minutes into the game, Gómez opened the scoring with a close-range finish, and it felt like the floodgates were about to open. And they did. Within the space of 24 minutes, Gómez completed a stunning hat-trick. His second goal came from the edge of the box, a powerful rising strike that gave the Barnsley keeper no chance. Then came the moment of the match: a thunderbolt from over 30 yards out that swerved and dipped its way into the net. That goal had the crowd gasping—it wasn’t just decisive, it was spectacular.
Barnsley had their moments. Davis Keillor-Dunn almost pulled one back with an audacious effort from near the halfway line that clipped the bar. Jonathan Bland also struck the woodwork, but luck simply wasn’t on their side. Each time they threatened, Brighton reminded them of the gulf in class.
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In the second half, Gómez calmly slotted in his fourth of the night to make it 4-0, sealing an extraordinary personal performance. Brighton weren’t done, though. Youngster Harry Howell, just 17, made his mark with a curling strike to grab his first senior goal. And minutes later, Yasin Ayari wrapped things up with a neat finish to cap off another six-goal rout, just as Brighton had done against Oxford in the previous round.
What made this victory even more striking was the context. Manager Fabian Hürzeler made eight changes from the weekend’s Premier League draw with Tottenham, giving fringe players and youngsters a chance. Yet, the Seagulls didn’t miss a beat. Gómez, who had been used sparingly this season, grasped his opportunity with both hands and showed why he’s considered such a special talent. His range of finishing—from close control to long-distance rockets—was a reminder that Brighton’s squad has real depth.
For Barnsley, it was a humbling experience. Conor Hourihane’s side had been enjoying some strong results in League One, but against Premier League quality, the gap was laid bare. The only consolation was a heartfelt tribute before kick-off, as a minute’s applause was held for legendary Barnsley-born cricket umpire Dickie Bird, who recently passed away at the age of 92.
By the final whistle, Brighton had secured another emphatic cup win, and attention now turns to the fourth-round draw. For Gómez, though, this performance may prove decisive in pushing him closer to a regular starting role—especially with a tough Premier League clash at Chelsea looming.
It was Brighton’s night, Gómez’s night, and a reminder of how ruthless football at this level can be.
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