Yasin Ayari Carries World Cup Form Into the New Brighton Season
When Yasin Ayari wheeled away in front of the Amex after his second goal against Roma on Saturday, it was hard not to think back to Monterrey. The Sweden midfielder scored twice in a 3-0 friendly win over the Serie A side, matching the double he struck at the summer’s World Cup – and doing it on home turf in front of watching Albion supporters.
It was the kind of afternoon that turns a pre-season run-out into a genuine selection headache. With the new campaign approaching and a midfield berth alongside Pascal Groß there to be won, Ayari could hardly have picked a better moment to remind Fabian Hürzeler what he offers. Competition for the two central spots is fierce, but a goalscoring midfielder is a luxury few squads can boast.
Echoes of the World Cup
Ayari’s brace against Roma mirrored his two goals for Sweden against Tunisia in Monterrey, his country’s opening game at the tournament. His first, on 40 minutes, capped a counter-attack he had started himself by heading away a Roma corner; his second, early in the second half, was another crisp right-foot finish past Mile Svilar.
Hürzeler was quick to praise the midfielder’s habit of finding the net, speaking to The Argus after the game.
“Goals, I think, he took from the World Cup! So that was positive. I think it’s very important that he continues this behaviour on the pitch. This attitude, this mindset. He had a great World Cup, he continues here with a great pre-season so far, so hopefully he will just go on like this.”
What Yasin Ayari brings to Brighton’s midfield
Beyond the goals, it is Ayari’s energy that Hürzeler prizes. “He’s a great character,” the head coach added. “He helps the group a lot by being just very energetic and it’s very important for this group.” That relentlessness is exactly what Brighton will lean on as they juggle Premier League football with a return to Europe.
His goal threat from midfield is a genuine asset. Ayari is not a prolific scorer by trade, but his willingness to shoot and arrive in the box gives Brighton an extra dimension now he looks set to start alongside the vastly experienced Groß. If his shooting from the World Cup and pre-season carries over, the goals should follow. Add in his readiness to press from the front and cover ground, and it is easy to see why the head coach rates him so highly.
Rutter, who opened the scoring against Roma with a stunning curler, has now found the net in two of the three friendlies, another sign that Albion have kept the goals flowing in pre-season. A friendly against Bologna is next before the real business begins.
For Yasin Ayari, the challenge Hürzeler set is a simple one: keep doing exactly what he did against Roma. On this evidence, the midfielder looks more than ready to answer it. Get that right, and a player who lit up the World Cup could quickly become a fixture in Hürzeler’s plans.
