Alexis Mac Allister scored a last-minute equalizer to help Brighton produce one of the high-scoring football scores of the weekend in the Premier League. The visitors appeared to be on their way to a hard-fought away win until Alexis MacAllister equalized with a minute of normal time remaining from the spot after Aaron Hickey was punished for handball following a VAR review. Both teams are now ahead of Liverpool, who are in sixth.
That was a fitting conclusion to a thrilling game that saw four goals scored in the first 28 minutes. Pontus Jansson put Brentford ahead but Karou Mitoma equalised after a brilliant assist from goalkeeper Jason Steele. The tie lasted about a minute, as Ivan Toney put the visitors ahead before Danny Welbeck levelled with a header.
Brentford was dreaming of a possible top-four push after Ethan Pinnock prodded home shortly after the break, but Brighton continued pressing and were rewarded when Mac Allister held his calm from the spot. The hosts fired 33 shots at Brentford’s goal, the most in a single game this season, with every outfield starting player registering at least two attempts, making them the first team to do so since Opta began collecting data in 2003. Despite having a total anticipated goals figure of 4.55, they were unable to put dogged Brentford away.
This was billed as a clash between two of the country’s most astutely handled clubs, and they put on a display against the backdrop of European football on the horizon. With 28 minutes gone, we’d already been treated to 28 shots that exemplified everything great about this sport. Jansson, a recalled Bees defender, scored in the 10th minute, rising over opposing captain Lewis Dunk to thump a powerful header past Jason Steele after Mathias Jensen’s tempting in-swinging cross from the left.
Jensen then had a chance to extend the away side’s lead, but Mac Allister saved his stinging shot from an indirect free-kick inside Albion’s box after Steele picked up Pervis Estupinan’s back pass. Steele made amends for his mistake in judgment in the 21st minute with an assist. The keeper’s perfect kick upfield took the Bees off guard, and Mitoma, who had been denied early on by a wonderful sliding block by Pinnock, sprinted clear to coolly lob the stranded David Raya.
Toney, who made his England debut last weekend, gathered a lovely flicked pass from Bryan Mbeumo to score his 17th league goal of the season into the bottom right corner after Joel Veltman relinquished possession from a throw-in deep in Brighton territory. Welbeck then equalized at the back post, nodding Solly March’s right-wing cross into the ground and beyond Raya. Despite their attacking prowess, Brighton’s performance was marred by shoddy defending. Just four minutes after the restart, Pinnock eluded the immovable Albion backline to prod home unmarked following Mbeumo’s probing free-kick into the box.
Brighton stayed camped in Brentford’s half, their ability to sustain attacks giving the visitors no time to catch their breath. Raya made saves on March, Veltman, and Pascal Gross, while Dunk wasted a chance on an Estupinan cross under continuous home pressure. With time running out, Brighton kept focused and had one final big moment when Hickey deflected replacement Denis Undav’s close-range shot over the bar. Referee Michael Oliver gave a corner at first, but replays indicated his effort impacted the outstretched arm of the Bees’ right-back, and Mac Allister equalized from 12 yards.
“It’s an excellent statement, but football can be cruel at times. We demonstrate character and patience. We performed admirably. There was only one team on the pitch, and we conceded three goals in spectacular fashion,” Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said. “We will not meet our goal if we continue to concede in this manner. We deserve to reach our goal because we’re performing fantastically. It was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. It’s difficult to outperform what we did today.”
“We’re fantasizing about finishing as high as possible. The squad performed well in stretches, and we posed a threat when attacking counter-attacks and set-pieces. I’m proud of how menacing we appeared,” Brentford boss Thomas Frank said. “Of course, after leading three times, you want more. I didn’t think we were going to lose, but I understand they scored and put us under pressure. Yet, in the end, we kept pushing and came within a goal of scoring the fourth.”
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