Brighton fight back from 2-0 down to draw at Southampton

Glenn Murray's last-minute penalty earned Brighton a point at Southampton this evening as the Seagulls fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.
Shane Duffy. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyShane Duffy. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Shane Duffy. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Saints took the lead on 35 minutes when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg fired a stunning low 30-yarder into the bottom corner.

Danny Ings made it 2-0 from the penalty spot on 65 minutes but Albion quickly got a goal back as Shane Duffy headed home Anthony Knockaert's free kick two minutes later.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the final minute, Brighton were awarded a penalty after Duffy was fouled and Murray scored from the spot to secure a point.

Albion had made one change from the 2-2 draw with Fulham before the international break as Yves Bissouma came in for Pascal Gross, who was not in the squad.

Southampton named the same starting 11 which began their 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace last time out.

The first chance came on eight minutes when Nathan Redmond went on a mazy run down the left and his cross was headed straight at Mathew Ryan by Cedric.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Anthony Knockaert had a shot blocked by Hojbjerg at the other end, before Saints went on to dominate the rest of the first half.

Hojbjerg headed Mohamed Elyounoussi's corner across goal on 20 minutes and Ings had a close-range effort cleared off the line by Knockaert, before Wesley Hoedt fired the loose ball over.

The hosts had another excellent opportunity on 27 minutes when Redmond's delivery from the left was met by Elyounoussi seven yards out but the Saints summer signing from Basel headed wide.

The Norwegian winger then dragged a shot wide from distance six minutes later, before Southampton's pressure was rewarded as they went ahead on 35 minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Albion cleared a cross into the box as far as Hojbjerg, who fired an unstoppable low drive from 30 yards into the bottom corner for his second goal in as many games.

Brighton were much better after the break and Davy Propper headed Martin Montoya's cross wide, before Knockaert's powerful strike was pushed away by Alex McCarthy after a driving run forward.

Saints broke on the counter-attack on 54 minutes but Shane Long poked well wide under pressure from Mathew Ryan, before they doubled their lead after 65 minutes.

Ings was clipped in the penalty area by Gaetan Bong and got up to score from the spot for his third goal since joining Southampton on loan from Liverpool in the summer.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brighton quickly got back in it as less than two minutes later, Shane Duffy met Knockaert's inswinging free kick to head home from close range.

Albion boss Chris Hughton sent on Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Jurgen Locadia and Jahanbakhsh went close with ten minutes remaining as he flicked Knockaert's cross just wide of the near post.

Locadia had a header superbly saved by McCarthy, before from the resulting corner Duffy was fouled and Murray scored from the spot to earn Brighton a point.

Southampton: McCarthy, Cedric, Vestergaard, Hoedt, Bertrand; Lemina, Hojbjerg, Elyounoussi (Ward-Prowse 76), Redmond; Long (Gabbiadini 76), Ings (Davis 84). Subs: Gunn, Yoshida, Davis, Targett, Austin.

Brighton: Ryan; Montoya, Duffy, Dunk, Bong; Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, March (Jahanbakhsh 70); Bissouma (Locadia 76); Murray. Subs: Button, Bruno, Kayal, Balogun, Bernardo.