A L B I O N C H R O N I C L E - ( 7 )
6 OCTOBER 2024 -
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2
PREMIER LEAGUE - at the AMERICAN EXPRESS STADIUM, FALMER.
Looking to get back to winning ways, the Albion were back at the Amex for a Premier League encounter with Tottenham Hotspur, the match being shown "live" by Sky Sports and broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
In their previous outing, the Seagulls had lost 2-4 at Chelsea in the Premier on the 28 September, also losing their unbeaten record in the process. For the visit of Spurs, the Albion made two changes to their starting line-up from the Chelsea game, with Joel Veltman and Yantuba Minteh replacing Pervis Estupinan and Mats Wieffer.
On a 5-match winning run in all competitions, Spurs had won 3-0 at Manchester United in the Premier on the 29 September and for their visit to the Amex, Spurs named an unchanged 20-man squad from the Manchester United game. On the 3 October, Spurs travelled to Hungary to meet Ferencvaros in the Europa League, where a much-changed team ran out 2-1 winners.
Last season in the Premier, the Albion enjoyed a thrilling 4-2 win over Spurs at the Amex on the 28 September 2023, with their goals coming from Joao Pedro 2, Jack Hinshelwood and Pervis Estupinan . Spurs scored two late goals through Alejo Veliz and Ben Davies .
In the return game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the 10 February 2024 Spurs won 2-1, with their goals being scored by Pape Matar Sarr and Brennan Johnson, after Albion had taken an early lead through a Pascal Gross penalty .
Prior to kick-off, there were a couple of moments of nostalgia, first Pascal Gross was introduced to the crowd following his summer departure to Borussia Dortmund, after spending seven seasons with the Albion. Secondly, there was a minutes applause for former Albion Manager Barry Lloyd, who had passed away on the 28 September at the age of 75.
In wet and windy conditions, it was all Spurs from the start, they going close to taking the lead through Dejan Kulusevski's deflected shot, Timo Werner's volley and James Maddison's goal was chalked off for offside. On 9 minutes Albion lost defender Adam Webster due to a hamstring injury, Igor Julio substituting.
As anticipated, Spurs took the lead on 23 minutes when Dominic Solanke's through-pass found the on-running Brennan Johnson whose left-foot shot found the Albion net, for a neat opening goal. 0-1.
The Seagulls raised their game after this set-back and chances were created and spurned by Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck. However, it was no surprise when the visitors increased their lead on 37 minutes. Solanke and Werner set-up Maddison whose low shot eluded Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton goal and trickled over the line. 0-2.
Prior to the break, Welbeck's header just missed the target and Johnson found himself in the clear but he wastefully fired over the bar. A torrid first-half for the Albion and Spurs were good value for their lead.
Half-time 0-2.
The Albion fight-back began within three minutes of the start of the second-half when Mitoma crossed from the left, Destiny Udogie miskicked and the ball fell to Yantuba Minteh, whose left-foot shot flashed into the net. It was Minteh's first Premier League goal for the Albion. 1-2.
Better was to follow on 58 minutes when substitute Pervis Estupinan and Mitoma combined down the left and the latter's cross to the far post was gathered by Georginio Rutter who finished with a superb left-foot shot into the top of Spurs net for the equaliser. 2-2.
On 66 minutes the miracle was complete when Rutter left Udogie and Rodrigo Bentancur in his wake before crossing to the far post where Welbeck sent a downward header into the net for Albion's winner. Albion's comeback had been accomplished and their supporters were on cloud 9. 3-2.
The Seagulls comfortably saw out the game, save for one scare when Verbruggen kept out Udogie's shot. On 87 minutes, midfielder Brajan Gruda (20) was
introduced as substitute for Yantuba Minteh, for his Albion debut. What a game.
Final-score 3-2.
Match stats:
Albion had 11 attempts at goal, with 4 on target and won 4 corners, free-kicks conceded - 14.
Spurs had 13 attempts at goal, with 3 on target and won 7 corners, free-kicks conceded - 10.
VERDICT - A superb comeback win for the Albion. After a difficult first-half the Albion seemed well out of it but their second-half fight-back saw them score three goals without reply and which showed what the team are capable of. Albion rose up to sixth place in the Premier League table after Matchday 7.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Joel VELTMAN. Adam WEBSTER (Igor JULIO 9), Lewis DUNK (Capt), Ferdi KADIOGLU (Pervis ESTUPINAN 46); Carlos BALEBA (Mats WIEFFER 74), Jack HINSHELWOOD; Yantuba MINTEH (Brajan GRUDA 87), Georginio RUTTER (Julio ENCISO 73), Kaoru MITOMA; Danny WELBECK.
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K),Tariq LAMPTEY, Yasin AYARI, Evan FERGUSON.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR line-up (4-3-3):- Guglielmo VICARIO; Pedro PORRO, Cristian ROMERO (Capt), Micky VAN DE VEN, Destiny UDOGIE; Dejan KULUSEVSKI, Rodrigo BENTANCUR (Yves BISSOUMA 79), James MADDISON (Mikey MOORE 85); Brennan JOHNSON, Dominic SOLANKE, Timo WERNER (Pape Matar SARR 79).
Subs not used: Fraser FORSTER (G/K), Djed SPENCE, Radu DRAGUSIN, Archie GRAY, Lucas BERGVALL, Will LANKSHEAR.
Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).
Fourth Official: Andy Madley.
VAR Official: Paul Tierney.
Yellow Cards:
Albion: 2 - Bart Verbruggen, Igor Julio.
Spurs: 2 Destiny Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski.
Possession: Albion - 41%. Spurs - 59%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Yantuba Minteh (Albion).
Attendance: 31487.
NEXT GAME:
19 OCTOBER 2024 - NEWCASTLE UNITED - AWAY - PREMIER LEAGUE KICK-OFF - 15.00.
Jack Kaye.
10 October 2024.