Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma set up the winner as Brighton edged Crystal Palace 1-0 at home in the English Premier League on Wednesday, boosting their hopes of qualifying for a European competition next season.
The only goal came in the 15th minute at Amex Stadium when Mitoma drove into the opposition half from the left before threading the ball through for Solly March, who buried his effort into the far bottom corner from inside the box.
"It was big we got a goal around that time of the game. I hope to have more of those (attacking) patterns," said Mitoma, who has registered a goal or assist in his last four games in all competitions.
The win took Brighton up to seventh, six points off fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand. Finishing in the top four will see them qualify for next season's Champions League.
"It's good that results are coming my way, but I also feel things are going a little too well," Mitoma said. "I need to create more chances even when they don't result in end products. I can't feel satisfied."
In the Champions League, Japan midfielder Daichi Kamada could not prevent Eintracht Frankfurt from going out in the round of 16 following a 5-0 aggregate defeat to Italian Serie A leaders Napoli.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Kamada played the full 90 minutes in the second leg away at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona but his German side, last season's Europa League winners, fell to a Victor Osimhen brace and Piotr Zielinski penalty for a 3-0 defeat.
Former Japan captain Makoto Hasebe was an unused substitute for Frankfurt.
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