Barnsley 0-6 Brighton: Gomez Scores Four in Cup Win

Brighton & Hove Albion cruised into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup with a dominant 6-0 victory over League One side Barnsley at Oakwell, thanks to a sensational four-goal haul from Diego Gomez.

The Paraguayan midfielder stole the show, netting a first-half hat-trick in just 23 minutes to put the Seagulls firmly in control.

 Gomez opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a close-range finish after fine work from Tom Watson. 

He doubled his tally on 21 minutes, smashing a right-footed shot into the roof of the net following another Watson assist.

 The highlight came in the 32nd minute when Gomez unleashed a stunning 35-yard volley into the top corner, earning applause even from the home fans.

Barnsley offered little resistance, with their best chances coming from Davis Keilor-Dunn's long-range effort that clipped the crossbar and Jonathan Bland's volley hitting the woodwork.

 Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler rotated his squad, giving opportunities to youngsters like Harry Howell and resting stars such as Kaoru Mitoma.

Gomez added his fourth in the 70th minute, firing low into the far corner from Danny Welbeck's pass. 

Seventeen-year-old Howell marked his senior debut with a goal, slotting home Watson's cross for the fifth. 

Yasin Ayari completed the rout in the 89th minute with a composed finish from the edge of the box.

This emphatic win follows Brighton's 6-0 thrashing of Crawley in the previous round, showcasing their attacking depth. 

Hurzeler praised Gomez's "unbelievable" performance, calling him a "smiling goal machine." 

The Seagulls now await the fourth-round draw, confident of progressing further in the competition.