Ismaila Sarr haunts Brighton to end Palace’s 12-match winless nightmare

Crystal Palace ended their long wait for a Premier League victory with a hard-earned 1–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

The result brought a nine-game winless run to a close and provided welcome relief for Oliver Glasner’s side in a season that has tested patience and confidence.

It was not a derby rich in quality.

Both teams arrived short of form and fluency, and the opening half reflected that reality.

Brighton controlled possession but struggled to turn it into genuine threat.

Lewis Dunk twice went close from set pieces, heading over from a Pascal Gross corner before glancing a free-kick delivery wide later in the half.

Beyond that, clear chances were scarce.

Maxim De Cuyper’s low effort from distance was Brighton’s only shot on target before the break, while Palace laboured to progress the ball with any coherence.

The visitors showed more intent as half-time approached.

Adam Wharton dragged a strike wide from the edge of the area, and Ismaïla Sarr sliced an effort under pressure, but Bart Verbruggen remained largely untroubled.

The second half followed a similar pattern until Palace altered the rhythm.

Glasner introduced Evann Guessand just before the hour, and the substitute’s impact was immediate.

Collecting possession in midfield, Guessand slipped a measured pass through the Brighton back line for Sarr to chase.

The winger kept his composure, lifting a delicate finish over Verbruggen to score Palace’s first shot on target of the match.

It was a moment of clarity in an otherwise scrappy contest.

Brighton attempted to respond quickly.

Teenage forward Charalampos Kostoulas found space inside the area but was denied by Dean Henderson, who spread himself well to preserve Palace’s lead.

That proved to be as close as the hosts came.

Despite sustained pressure and a series of late set pieces, Brighton lacked invention and conviction in the final third.

Fabian Hurzeler’s side have now gone without a league win since early January, and the frustration inside the stadium was evident as time ticked away.

Palace defended with discipline in the closing stages.

They limited space, slowed the tempo and resisted the temptation to retreat too deeply as Brighton searched for an equaliser.

There was even an opportunity to seal the result in stoppage time, only for Verbruggen to block at close range.

The final whistle was met with relief from the visiting support.

In a derby shaped more by tension than quality, Palace found the decisive moment their rivals could not.