Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma makes history after winning the Premier League Goal of the Month award for August.
Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma has won the Premier League Goal of the Month award for August.
The 26-year-old has become the first-ever Japanese player to win the individual accolade after scoring a stunning solo goal in Brighton’s 4-1 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 19.
Mitoma is also the first Brighton player to pick up the prize since former attacker Alireza Jahanbakhsh claimed the same award back in January 2020.
The Seagulls star received the ball on the touchline just inside Wolves’ half before weaving his way past three players and placing a right-footed strike into the far corner beyond Jose Sa, netting his first goal of the new season.
Mitoma certainly knows a thing or two about dribbling as he wrote a thesis on the art of dribbling at university in his native Japan before joining Brighton, and has since established himself as one of the best dribblers in the Premier League.
Commenting on his goal and receiving his monthly award to the Premier League’s official website, Mitoma said: “It’s not often I get this sort of award, so I feel honoured, and I’m grateful to my teammates.
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“This goal was the culmination of all the things I’ve been practising. After I got past the first defender, there was this massive open space. Heading towards the goal, I was picking up a bit more speed. it made it easier to get past the defenders. I think this goal is probably the best one I’ve scored.
“When I retire I think this goal will always come to mind. It’s not something that happens often. So I want to keep producing these kinds of moments in the future.”
Mitoma fended off competition from Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling and Brentford’s Kevin Schade to win the Goal of the Month award.
Brighton’s No.22 was also nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award for August, but he was beaten by Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison.
As well as scoring his stunner against Wolves, Mitoma has provided three assists in four top-flight games so far this season, helping Brighton accumulate nine points from a possible 12 available.
The Seagulls winger will be hoping to add to his tally of goals and assists when Roberto De Zerbi‘s side travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.
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