By Adam Crafton for the Daily Mail
Published: 14:24 GMT, 5 January 2019 | Updated: 14:37 GMT, 5 January 2019
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There are occasions in this sport when matches really do flip on single moments. So it was here for Bournemouth and their unfortunate frontman Lys Mousset.
In the 28th minute of this game, Mousset had the direction of this tie in his grasp. Jordon Ibe scuttled into the Brighton penalty area, darting one way, then the other, before striking towards goal. His goal-bound effort was excellently blocked by Shane Duffy but the ball dropped to Mousset eight yards out with the goal unguarded. Bournemouth supporters were up and ready to embrace, only for the striker to lean back and wildly strike over the top.
In that moment, the momentum of this game inexorably shifted. Within six minutes, Brighton were two goals ahead and even for a team of Bournemouth's impressive powers of recovery, a genuine fightback did not seem likely on this occasion.
Anthony Knockaert produced a sterling performance and scored the opener as Brighton thumped Bournemouth 3-1
The winger set up team-mate Yves Bissouma to score a scorcher of a second goal for the visitors at the Vitality Stadium
Marc Pugh dragged Bournemouth back into the match by halving the deficit with a powerful strike from the edge of the box
But Brighton striker Florin Andone put the game beyond doubt with a close-ranged header in the second half on Saturday
Brighton's squad has real depth in the attacking positions these days and despite making eight changes, Chris Hughton was able to field expensive recruits such as Yves Bissouma and Jurgen Locadia, while an adventurous team also included goalscorers Anthony Kockaert and Florin Andone.
Locadia provided the invention to create the first, backheeling the ball into the path of Knockaert, who set himself before arrowing low and hard into the corner of the Bournemouth goal.
Bournemouth (4-4-1-1) Boruc 5.5; Clyne 6, Simpson 5, Cook 5, Rico 5 (Daniels 78); Pugh 7, Taylor 5 (Brooks 45, 6), Surman 5, Fraser 6; Ibe 6 (Stanislas