Gruda and Sarmiento strike in behind closed doors friendly against Wolfsburg

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Albion played behind closed doors friendly before Amex fixture on Saturday.

Matt Bishop

2025-08-09T13:30+01:00

Brajan Gruda put Albion in front in the first half. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Goals from Brajan Gruda and Jeremy Sarmiento earned Albion a comfortable 2-0 win against Wolfsburg in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre on Saturday.

Ahead of this evening’s clash against the Bundesliga side at the Amex, Fabian Hurzeler’s squad played another valuable 90 minutes in the Sussex sunshine to maintain their unbeaten pre-season run.

Albion started as brightly as their violet shirts with the home side dominating possession and Gruda firing wide during the early stages, before Andrew Moran’s close-range effort was smothered by Marius Miller in the Wolfsburg goal.

Moran was denied again with 20 minutes gone after good work down the right created space for Facundo Buonanotte to whip a cross towards goal, but Muller grabbed the Irishman’s prodded effort at the second time of asking.

Andrew Moran went close for Albion early on. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Moments later, Wolfsburg responded to Albion’s early dominance with their first chance when Tiago Tomas raced clear on the left and drilled a delivery across the face of goal, but Vaclav Cerny failed to make a great connection and the ball flew wide with only Jason Steele to beat.

Aaron Zehnter then drilled a low effort wide as Wolfsburg broke again down the left-hand side before James Milner curled a goal-bound effort towards the top corner just after the half-hour mark, but Muller pulled off a fantastic flying save.

Buonanotte took the resulting set piece quickly and Albion finally broke the deadlock when the Argentine found Gruda 20 yards from goal, who took a touch before firing a ferocious low drive into the bottom corner.

Gruda nearly had his and Albion’s second five minutes later when some neat interchange on the edge of the area led to Danny Welbeck finding the German, but the 21-year-old couldn’t keep his half-volley down and it flew a yard over the bar.

Brajan Gruda put Albion in front. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

The only change at the break saw Tariq Lamptey replace Ferdi Kadioglu and when he cut inside before working the ball across the pitch to Joel Veltman, the Dutchman curled a precise cross into the box which Buonanotte met with a glancing header that was well saved.

Welbeck was next to try his luck after Milner’s fantastic pass found the striker in a pocket of space 18 yards out, but his powerful shot flew inches over the bar with Muller well beaten.

Against the run of play, Wolfsburg nearly equalised on the hour when Trevor Benedict marauded through midfield and after finding Cerny, carried on his run into the box, but the German could only scuff his teammate’s cross wide from ten yards.

The visitors paid the price when Jeremy Sarmiento doubled Albion’s lead in the 69th minute after excellent build up play led to Milner playing a pass into the box, which Buonanotte dummied, before the Ecuadorean hit a deflected first-time effort into the top corner.

Tariq Lamptey congratulates Jeremy Sarmiento after the Ecuadorian extended our lead. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Lamptey was involved again as Albion looked to extend their lead, but after he got to the byline and fired a cross towards Welbeck in the area, the striker’s goalbound effort was blocked before Sarmiento and the Ghanaian combined to work a shooting chance for Buonanotte, but he curled over.

With seconds remaining, Aaron Zehnter nearled scored a stunning consolation goal with a powerful shot from 30 yards which flew just over the bar, but Albion’s well-deserved clean sheet remained intact and Hurzeler’s side were worthy winners.

Albion starting XI: Steele, Kadioglu (Lamptey, 45’), Boscagli (Simmonds, 61’), Coppola, Veltman, Sarmiento, Moran, Milner (Yalcouye, 70’), Buonanotte, Gruda, Welbeck (Tzimas, 85’).

Unused subs: Ramming, Kostoulas, Tasker, Oriola, Albarus, Nti.