CHELSEA 1 BRIGHTON 2

How on earth do Brighton keep unearthing these players from around the world?

It is a question that has been asked before.

It returned after Julio Enciso, for the national audience, deepened the Chelsea crisis and, of far more interest to us, secured Albion a deserved win in the race for Europe.

It was stunning - a goal to be treasured in a result for the ages in this Albion season of seasons.

The 19-year-old from Paraguay found the top corner from about 25 yards with a rocket too good even for an in-form goalkeeper in Kepa Arrizabalaga.

In Enciso’s case, they got him from Asuncion, although his parents are from the more rural areas where they speak the indigenous language Guarani.

What’s the secret? Well, in terms of Paraguayan football, Enciso was no secret. He did not need unearthing as such.

He played for the best team in the league, was their brightest young talent and had been capped at senior international level.

He was known by fans and media in his homeland as La Joya, the jewel.

The harder bits, one imagines, come either side of that.

Deciding to search Paraguay for gold in the first place and working out how best to do it.

Then, having identified your player, managing to complete the deal.

More than one of these signings in South America have taken longer to complete than was being indicated by the sources over there who initially reported them.

Enciso’s move from Libertad was a case in point.

Finally, developing the new talent properly, looking after him and knowing the right time to unleash him.

Very few of Albion’s overnight sensations have actually done sensational things overnight.

Several have had to be patient and have probably had moments of doubt and frustration.

In terms of playing time, they have had to take a step backwards to later make strides forwards.

That has all applied to Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo, Kaoru Mitoma, Enciso himself and, currently, Facundo Buonanotte.

Mac Allister, now on the other side of that process as a world champion, has articulated those challenges very eloquently.

But Enciso has also spoken of how tough it has been at times.

Roberto De Zerbi is big on man-management. He talks about players as his sons.

After leading the applause for Albion’s euphoric fans at full-time on Saturday, he broke off to hug Mykhailo Mudryk, his former Shakhtar player and Chelsea’s best outfield performer in this match.

With Enciso, he has been supportive, spoken well of him when he wasn’t getting a game, then offered him his chance.

Now Enciso, a lively character, is flying – and De Zerbi went the other way, keeping feet on the ground.

He said: "Enciso I can say is a good, good player. I didn't like him after the goal because after the goal he finished playing and he has to play until the end of the game. Because if we don't win, the people forget his goal,"

Albion had reason to be feeling sorry themselves around the time Enciso and fellow goalscorer Danny Welbeck were sent into the action much earlier than planned.

They might have had a penalty for handball.

They were denied by the bar, when Evan Ferguson shot from the edge of the box.

They lost Ferguson and Joel Veltman to injury, the former damaging his ankle as he landed from a header which Kepa saved superbly.

They played pretty much all the football, Mac Allister going close three times and Mitoma carving through before seeing Kepa parry his shot.

But they trailed to a fluke goal when Conor Gallagher, freed by Mudryk, saw his shot loop crazily off Lewis Dunk to wrongfoot the returning Robert Sanchez.

After four goalless games, that lucky break should have felt like a release for Chelsea and stand-in boss Frank Lampard.

Instead, Albion’s passing and pressing kept them in a vice-like grip.

Welbeck soared between two defenders to head home a Pascal Gross delivery and Albion took charge of the second half.

The lively Enciso shot against Kepa and then a post, with Welbeck sending the second rebound wide of a gaping goal.

Undeterred, the Paraguayan found the top corner after Albion twice won the ball back deep in the Chelsea half.

To De Zerbi’s annoyance, it felt like Albion invited their dis-spirited hosts on to them late on.

It did not cost them. With Moises Caicedo a midfield giant and Mac Allister a driving force, they seemed to play on a different speed setting to their hosts for most of the afternoon.

As for Enciso, his progress to the big stage might just have been paced to perfection.

Chelsea: Arrizabalaga; Chalobah, Fofana (James 56), Badiashile, Chilwell; Gallagher, Fernandez (Kovacic 56), Zakaria (Mount 74); Pulisic (Ziyech 56), Sterling (Felix 57), Mudryk. Subs not used: Mendy, Aubameyang, Azpilicueta, Cucurella.

Goal: Gallagher 13.

Yellow card: Gallagher 45 (foul), Chalobah 51 (foul).

Albion: Sanchez; Veltman (Enciso 28), Dunk, Webster (Van Hecke 86), Estupinan; Gross, Caicedo; March, Mac Allister, Mitoma; Ferguson (Welbeck 39). Subs not used: McGill, Undav, Gilmour, Buonanotte Offiah, Moran.

Goals: Welbeck 42, Enciso 69.

Yellow card: Veltman 4 (foul), Sanchez 77 (time-wasting).

Referee: Robert Jones.

Attendance: 40,126