In the Premier League, the Brighton side clinched an amazing 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. Despite Spurs’ strong two-goal lead at half-time, they couldn’t maintain their momentum. Tottenham’s manager, Ange Postecoglou, seemed dazed as he witnessed a spectacular turnaround by Brighton, which scored three goals to come out on top.
Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie and Micky van de Ven were lambasted for their shoddy defense, with both players contriving to varying extents to the three goals scored by Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter, and Danny Welbeck. Bentancur also drew criticism for his role in enabling the decisive score by Welbeck.
In contrast, Brighton’s manager, Fabian Hürzeler, was applauded for his savvy decision to bring Pervis Estupiñán in place of Ferdi Kadioglu in the second half, a strategic move that changed the game’s dynamic.
There was a sense of gratification and vindication for the Brighton players who fought with fervor and refused to equate their fate with defeat. With the inclusion of star player Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton’s squad jumped ahead of Spurs to the sixth position in the league standings.
It’s interesting to note that earlier this year, Postecoglou invited Hürzeler, then in charge of St Pauli, to Spurs to share their football wisdom. Postecoglou had said of Hürzeler, “if someone knocks on your door and wants a cup of tea, let them into your home,” he jokingly added, “they’re not here to pinch your furnishings or take your silverware.” Yet, in this match, Hürzeler took more than just a cup of tea; Brighton’s £150m summer squad rebuild seems to be yielding significant returns.
Spurs kicked off the match with a jaw-dropping start, their dominion over the first half entirely unquestionable. Less than 20 seconds had elapsed on the clock when Dominic Solanke put Timo Werner into a breakneck run on the inside left. Though a misdirected low cross from the winger, with Brennan Johnson unoccupied in front of goal, served as cold comfort for the visiting Spurs fans, it undoubtedly established the game’s atmosphere.
Brighton seemed defenceless against the visitors who seemed ready to overwhelm them. Their high-intensity pressing and forceful turnovers in risky territories were in full-display. Werner’s formidable speed was a challenge for Joel Veltman whilst Dejan Kulusevski was uncontainable in his inside-forward role, exhibiting bursts of speed in both directions. An initial goal celebration by Spurs turned out to be premature with James Maddison managing to sneak the ball over the line following a header from Werner that sent Brighton’s defence zone in disarray. Sadly, VAR intervened establishing that Pedro Porro was offside before his cross.
Unfazed, Spurs took the lead in no time. Brighton had their usual ambition to play out, but Postecoglou’s squad, with the help of Udogie and Maddison, disrupted their rhythm by dispossessing Rutter. This flurry of actions led to Solanke providing the ball to Johnson, who masterfully slotted home a low first-time shot. The on-form winger’s uncanny knack for scoring was unquestionable, with this marking his sixth consecutive goal in as many matches.
The first ten minutes alone saw Postecoglou’s team creating a series of promising chances, with Kulusevski and Maddison at the heart of the action. In the 43rd minute, after an adroit lay-off from Solanke, Kulusevski guided Johnson through. A Brighton fan’s frustrated yell of “It’s too easy,” encapsulated the scenario aptly as Johnson powered his shot over the crossbar.
The score-line was already at 2-0 by this time. A faulty hand movement by Bart Verbruggen resulted in the second goal, with Solanke initiating the attack and Werner eventually holding back, allowing Maddison to strike towards the bottom corner with Verbruggen unable to keep hold of the ball.
Brighton, having lost defender Adam Webster to an injury early in the game, offered little resistance in the first half, excluding a few attempts by Welbeck. Nonetheless, he squandered an opportunity by pushing wide a cross from Mitoma and also missed the mark with a heading attempt. The stunning turnaround in the second half was indeed noteworthy.
Hürzeler’s choice to introduce Estupiñán revitalised his squad from the left flank. This ignited Mitoma, who was a whirlwind of swift footwork and purposeful charges. He had managed to provide two assists within sixty minutes, evening the match’s score. Hürzeler’s Japanese player became pretty much invincible on the field.
Brighton saw an advantage in Tottenham’s woeful defence. Both Van de Ven and Udogie fumbled kicks, allowing Minteh to capitalise on Mitoma’s cross. For the goal that equalised the score, the Spurs duo were outmanoeuvred with ease, as Rutter dodged them and targeted the bottom corner. Both Estupiñán and Mitoma were key players during this phase.
Just prior to Brighton securing a 3-2 lead, Mitoma was thwarted by Guglielmo Vicario. Udogie, once again, was to blame for his side’s lapse in defence. Rutter easily circumnavigated him, but Bentancur had relocated to defend against the winger along the touchline. However, he failed in doing so. Rutter’s tackle eventually turned into the perfect cross for Welbeck to head past Vicario. With that, Tottenham’s chances of a comeback were squashed. (Guardian)