Albion 3 Chelsea 0: Seagulls soar up to sixth

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Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood and Danny Welbeck on target as Albion sweep Chelsea aside at the Amex.

2026-04-21T21:50+01:00

Jack Hinshelwood celebrates in front of the North Stand after making it 2-0. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Albion produced one of their best performances of the season as they swept Chelsea aside at the Amex to move into the top six in the Premier League after a sixth win in their last eight games.

Ferdi Kadioglu provided an early lead with a close-range finish and the only surprise at half-time was that Albion weren’t out of sight such was their dominance.

Jack Hinshelwood’s second goal of the season ten minutes after the break gave the hosts a cushion and only the athleticism of former Albion keeper Rob Sanchez kept the score down after that. But Sanchez was beaten again in the final minute when substitute Danny Welbeck scored his 13th goal of the season.

Albion dominated all over the pitch and if they’d scored six or seven Chelsea could have had few complaints.

Ferdi Kadioglu puts Albion ahead in the third minute. 📷James Boardman

There’s now a nine-day break before the season resumes at Newcastle but May could be a month to remember for Fabian Hurzeler and his upwardly mobile team.

They went in front after three minutes – and it had needed a fine save by Sanchez to prevent them from scoring even before Kadioglu struck.

Pascal Gross played the first of many pinpoint diagonals from the right and Kaoru Mitoma, arriving late in the box made good contact but the ex-Albion keeper turned the ball over his bar.

Albion didn’t have to wait long though. Gross sent the corner deep into the six-yard box and it fell to Kadioglu who fired low and hard with his right foot. The shot took a nick off Wesley Fofana but was past Sanchez before he could react. It was Ferdi’s first goal since the 2-1 loss at Liverpool in November 2024. He became Albion’s 18th different goalscorer this season – the most in the Premier League.

Delight for Ferdi Kadioglu, whose goal was his first since November 2024. 📷James Boardman

The Amex crowd and the players sensed Chelsea were there for the taking and Sanchez had to stretch to tip over Jan Paul van Hecke’s close-range header after another great ball in by Gross. Georginio Rutter was next to threaten but curled a left foot shot over after Albion won the ball back deep in Chelsea territory – a theme of the night.

Albion should have had a second when Sanchez’s casual back pass was intercepted by Carlos Baleba who squared it to the unmarked Hinshelwood. He had to stretch slightly and didn’t get sufficient power to prevent covering defender Trevoh Chalobah from clearing off the line.

Jack Hinshelwood scores his second goal of the season to double Albion's lead. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Mitoma turned but dragged a shot wide early in the second half before two penalty appeals in the space 60 seconds for handball - first against Marc Cucurella and then Minteh, whose offence looked more clear-cut but was outside the box anyway. He didn’t hesitate in hooking a clearance into the Chelsea half and suddenly it was 2 v 2. Rutter ran at the retreating defenders before unselfishly teeing up Hinshelwood to sweep into the bottom corner for 2-0.

Sanchez denied Kadioglu twice in as many minutes as he stretched to his left to push away a shot heading for the far corner before diving to his right to turn the ball around his right-hand post. Jorrel Hato blocked Gross’s goalbound volley as Albion hunted further goals.

Pascal Gross and Malo Gusto tussle in midfield. 📷James Boardman

Alejandro Garnacho missed the far post by a yard but it was a rare moment of concern for Albion who got the third goal they deserved in the 90th minute when substitute Max De Cuyper burst down the left and the pace of his cut-back was such that Welbeck didn’t need to break his stride as he guided a right-foot shot into the roof of the net. It was his sixth goal in his last eight games against Chelsea.

Albion finished the game as they’d started it – in total control.

Danny Welbeck celebrates after scoring his 13th goal of the season. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Albion: Verbruggen, Wieffer (Veltman 45), van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Mitoma (Ayari 82), Baleba, Gross, Minteh (De Cuyper 77), Hinshelwood (O’Riley 90+1), Rutter (Welbeck 82).