Brighton Women beat Charlton 5–1 at Amex for first WSL win

Brighton & Hove Albion Women came from behind to beat Charlton Athletic 5–1 at the Amex Stadium on Sunday 4 October, securing their first Women’s Super League win of 2026–27 after four league games without one. Kiko Seike scored twice as Albion turned a third-minute setback into a comfortable result for the Falmer crowd.

Last updated: Sunday 4 October 2026, 5.24pm BST.

Featured image: an archive view of the Amex at Falmer, photographed in July 2015. It does not show this match. Photo by Hassocks5489 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0.

Brighton Women v Charlton: how the 5–1 win unfolded

Albion’s official results page confirms the 5–1 score at the American Express Stadium. Charlton’s Cassandra Korhonen struck in the third minute, but Seike turned in an Olivia Garcia cutback on 25 minutes. Fran Kirby put Brighton ahead in first-half stoppage time after another Garcia run down the left, according to Sky Sports’ match report.

Seike made it 3–1 shortly after half-time. The final score was inflated by two goals in added time: a Maisie Symonds delivery went all the way in, then Gabby George headed home. That sequence matters. Brighton had established control well before the late flourish, but the five-goal total should not be mistaken for 90 minutes of effortless dominance after such an early concession.

Why this result matters in Brighton

The win ends a specific problem rather than creating a new title claim. Brighton had opened the WSL campaign with a defeat to Arsenal, draws with Birmingham City and Aston Villa, and a loss to London City Lionesses. Those results left Arturo Ruiz’s side with two points from four league matches. Sunday’s three points lift that tally to five from five, calculated from the club’s published scores.

It was also a meaningful home occasion. Albion Women are using the Amex for selected league fixtures this season, while other home matches are staged at Broadfield Stadium in Crawley. Brighton Locals covered the Aston Villa game at the Amex in September, which finished 1–1. Supporters in the city have now seen the first league win of the Ruiz era at Falmer.

There is context to the scoreline. Charlton are newly promoted and, as Sky Sports notes, this was their fifth defeat in five WSL games. Brighton had also beaten them 4–0 in the Subway Players Cup on 23 September. Today’s comeback is encouraging, particularly the link between Garcia and Seike, but a tougher opponent will give a clearer measure of progress.

Brighton Locals’ view

Our assessment: this is a welcome, overdue league win, and the response to conceding almost immediately deserves credit. Garcia’s work in the build-up to the first two Brighton goals gives supporters a more useful sign than the final margin alone: Albion found a repeatable route into dangerous areas. Even so, the two stoppage-time goals and Charlton’s position temper any sweeping conclusion about a turnaround. The real test is whether Brighton can create chances and defend the opening minutes as well against stronger sides.

What to watch next

The club’s fixture list has Albion away to Manchester City at 2.30pm on Sunday 18 October, followed by West Ham at the Amex at 5.15pm on Saturday 24 October. The City match, against a side that won its first four league games according to contemporary league coverage, is a sharper test of Brighton’s attacking improvement. A competitive performance there would support the view that Sunday was more than relief against the bottom side.

What supporters should do

For the next chance to watch Albion Women in Brighton, check the official fixtures page before travelling: venue and kick-off details can change. The club links to its ticketing site from that page for the West Ham match. If you missed Charlton, Sky Sports has free match highlights alongside its report.

Bottom line

Five goals and a first WSL win make this a good Sunday for Albion Women. The next two league games will show how much of that improvement lasts beyond Charlton.

Author: Brighton Locals Newsroom