Brighton pay for defensive lapses as AEK Athens spoil Europa League party
Joao Pedro scored Brighton’s first European goals from VAR penalties, but it was the Albion defence who bore gifts to the visiting Greek champions.
The Seagulls had waited 122 years to make a first appearance in European competition after a remarkable story of nearly going bust to their Premier League boom. And a bizarre latest chapter at a sold-out Amex Stadium saw AEK Athens twice take the lead from set pieces – and Estonian referee Kristo Tohver twice miss blatant fouls on Pedro before VAR intervened.
Both times Pedro got up and scored from the spot on a hectic night in the rain. But as Brighton chased a late winner, Ezequiel Ponce scored an 84th-minute winner to spoil the home club's first European party.
Brighton badly missed the aerial presence of injured England defender Lewis Dunk. But if all Brighton’s Group B fixtures are like this – they will also face Ajax and Marseille – it is going to be worth the wait for the European adventure of Roberto De Zerbi’s team.
The Italian, who coached his previous club Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, is the new Tinkerman after making six changes for the win at Old Trafford and another seven to face AEK. Evan Ferguson was also missing with injury.
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AEK Athens did the double in Greece last season and only missed out on Champions League qualification in the last round of qualifying. And Argentine head coach Matias Jesus Almeyda, who played against England at France 98, is attracting interest from Europe’s big clubs, like De Zerbi, and his side deserved the win.
AEK Athens first took the lead after 11 minutes when the unmarked Djibril Sidibe, who spent a year on loan at Everton in 2019/20, headed home Orbelin Pineda’s corner from just inside the box. Trinidadian striker Levi Garcia offered a constant threat but Brighton equalised after the first VAR intervention after 27 minutes.
Joao Pedro scored twice from the penalty spot (Sebastian Frej/Getty Images) HAVE YOUR SAY! Can Brighton get through their group in the Europa League? Comment below.
Ref Tohever first booked Pedro for diving in the box, then reversed his decision when he saw Iran captain Ehsan Hajsafi clipping his ankle on the touchline monitor. The Brazilian striker celebrated the rescinding of his yellow card by drilling home the spot kick.
But parity lasted only 11 minutes as no home defender met Hajsafi’s floated free-kick and Serbian midfielder Mijat Gacinovic steered the ball home on the half volley.
The start of the second half was disrupted by a clash of heads between Jan Paul van Hecke and Hajisafi which saw the AEK player stretchered off. Pedro went down again in the box after 64 minutes – this time under challenge from Pole Damian Szymanski. Again VAR intervened with the only difference this time the Brazilian rolling the spot kick into the other corner.
Pedro was denied a hat-trick by AEK keeper Cican Stankovic. But in the 84th minute, an Athens counter-attack saw subs Niclas Eliasson and Ponce combine to see the Argentine side-foot home the winner. During 13 minutes of frantic injury time, Stankovic denied sub Simon Adingra and Pascal Gross while sub Danny Welbeck headed over.
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