Brighton and Hove Albion 1 Leeds United 1
Record signing Luka Vuskovic scored a £46 million equaliser as Brighton and Hove Albion trailed Leeds United for almost an hour at the Amex this afternoon (Saturday 5 September).
The visitors had gone ahead after 15 minutes when Jayden Bogle stroked in a well-played pass, leaving Bart Verbruggen with little chance.
Brighton had more than two thirds of the possession and half the shots but Leeds had more of the big chances and for much of the game it looked like they might break their Amex voodoo, never having won here.
Leeds made the brighter start. A battling Dominic Calvert-Lewin committed the first foul of the game and had the first decent chance, weaving through the defence and firing a low shot that narrowly missed.
Six minutes in, Bogle was booked for a bad tackle but Leeds keeper James Trafford was alert to the danger from the free kick.
Although Brighton held possession for much of the time and passed well, Leeds looked like making more of the chances that came their way.
Bart Verbruggen was alert to the threat from Noah Okafor and then Gabriel Gudmundsson sent in a high cross which was cleared. Leeds won a corner but that was cleared too.
Next it was Anton Stach, sending the ball into the box, but a Brighton defender was alive to the danger. Then Leeds had another corner but it was overhit and went out of play.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Calvert-Lewin managed to head a lofted cross from close range towards the left side of the goal but it lacked pace and Verbruggen saved easily enough.
Seconds later, Bogle was well-positioned to receive a cracking pass and poked it home to put Leeds 1-0 up.
Within a few minutes, Brighton seemed to be getting back into the game but it was more approach play than anything.
But the next chance fell to Calvert-Lewin, with another decent run and a sturdy shot, well blocked.
Leeds won another corner and Ao Tanaka tacked on to a loose ball and tried his luck from the edge of the box, striking the bar.
Diego Gomez was lucky not to pick up a yellow card after a sliding tackle then, moments later, Pascal Gross skimmed the bar with a fierce long-range strike.
Brighton kept pressing, passing well and playing with patience and, on the half-hour, Gomez pounced on a promising cross. He was on target but Trafford saved well.
Brighton won their first corner with 37 minutes on the clock. A moment later, Pascal Gross became the first Brighton player to be booked.
And, after 40 minutes, Albion skipper Lewis Dunk chipped the ball from the edge of the box but his pass was intercepted. The Seagulls were unable to make anything from the resulting corner – their second of the half. Leeds won four before the break.
The first half fizzled out, like much of Brighton’s approach play, with Ferdi Kadioglu coming closest as he struck a first-time shot from the edge of the area in the first of two minutes of added time. His effort was comfortably blocked.
Verbruggen thwarted Stach shortly after the restart and, a few minutes later, Maxim De Cuyper was booked for felling an opponent.
On 50 minutes, Tanaka was celebrating a goal when, to the home fans’ relief, ref Stuart Attwell ruled it out for offside in the build up after a VAR review.
Next, it was Brighton’s turn to go on the offensive, with De Cuyper, Gross and Boscagli either playing the ball into the area or having a stab themselves. They were unable to capitalise on a couple of corners.
Just after the hour, Jaka Bijol came on for Bogle while Noah Okafor replaced Brenden Aaronson. Moments later, Calvert-Lewin was booked for a foul.
Charalampos “Babis” Kostoulas had the next chance from the edge of a crowded box but Trafford saved well and the subsequent corner was smothered by the Leeds defence.
A moment later, Brighton had another corner and De Cuyper fired it in, with the ball finding Vuskovic whose well-placed header sent the Amex wild with relief.
Calvert-Lewin came off for Lukas Nmecha and Tanaka was replaced by Harry Wilson who soon earned himself a yellow card.
For Brighton, Promise David came off the bench for De Cuyper – and not long after he also went into the ref’s book – while Costinha replaced Ferdi Kadioglu.
Gross and Gomez tested Leeds as Albion pressed for a winner but, aside from Olivier Boscagli making way for Pascal Struijk and a last-gasp stoppage-time corner for Leeds, the final whistle brought more relief than joy.
Next, the Seagulls travel to the Midlands where, a week tomorrow, they face newly promoted Coventry City who are bottom of the table, having lost 1-0 at Manchester City this afternoon.
Brighton sit ninth in the Premier League with four points from three matches. Unbeaten Leeds are eighth, with five points.
