Southampton v Brighton - Match Report

Southampton and Brighton met in a Monday night football clash where Brighton fought back after going 2-0 down 65 minutes in.

Danny Ings had an effort blocked from short range by Shane Duffy in the first half which Brighton failed to clear, Wesley Heodt then stabbed the ball over the bar. The Saints showed a lot of energy and looked threatening as the half went on. With ten minutes to go until half time, Davy Propper lost possession for Brighton at the halfway line which provided the ball for Mohammed Elyounoussi who drove towards goal and tried to deliver into the box, only for his effort to be headed away by Lewis Dunk which rebounded to Pierre Emile Højbjerg. The Norwegian took one touch and hit a sweet, hard, low long short from 30 yards which flew into the bottom corner.

Early in the second half, Brighton raised the intensity after their poor performance in the first half. However moments later, Danny Ings was tripped inside the penalty box by Gaetan Bong, which resulted in referee Anthony Taylor pointing to the spot. Ings, who won the penalty, kept calm and converted his spot kick into the bottom left hand corner. Goalkeeper Mathew Ryan dived the right way but could not keep out the kick from 12 yards.

In the 67th minute, Brighton won a free kick inside Southampton's half. Anthony Knockaert whipped in a superb cross that was met by the head of Shane Duffy who scored and got the momentum going for Albion.

Both sides made substitutes as the clock ticked on. Brighton's Jurgen Locadia and record signing Alireza Jahanbakhsh both came close to finding the net for Brighton later on in the second half. The Seagulls won a corner in the 90th minute and as the ball went travelling, Brighton's Shane Duffy was fouled by Southampton's James Ward-Prowse in the penalty area. Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot for the second time on the night. Top scorer last season Glenn Murray very nicely placed the penalty straight down the middle sending Alex McCarthy diving to his left.

This gave Murray his fourth goal of the season and this also means that he has now scored in every game between Brighton and Southampton in the Premier League (3).

Southampton had a chance of their own in stoppage time. A free kick in shooting distance was hit so nicely by Ryan Bertrand but heroically saved by Mathew Ryan.

A point for the two sides means they both stay put in the table. Southampton remain 13th on 5 points with Brighton sitting below them in 14th on 5 points too. Southampton are away to Liverpool in their next game whilst Brighton take on Tottenham at the Amex for 5:30 kick-off (both on Saturday 22nd September).