Brighton snatched a dramatic win at Brentford to record their third victory in four Premier League games.
The Seagulls, who had offered little beforehand, scored through Leandro Trossard’s excellent curling finish from the edge of the penalty area in the 90th minute.
Brentford should have gone ahead in the first half but were wasteful in front of the goal.
Bryan Mbeumo failed to hit the target when well placed three times, with the impressive Ivan Toney heading over and narrowly missing with an audacious 45-yard effort.
Those misses proved costly with Trossard’s moment of quality proving the difference.
The victory takes Brighton up to third in the Premier League, one point behind leaders Manchester United and only behind reigning champions Manchester City on goal difference.
Brentford, in their first top-flight campaign since 1946-47, had won one and drawn two of their opening Premier League games, including a memorable 2-0 opening day win over Arsenal.
But this was a harsh lesson for the Bees as boss Thomas Frank will have been wondering just how they lost in front of a capacity crowd at the Brentford Community Stadium.
Mbeumo, yet to score this season, was his side’s biggest culprit. He fired wastefully over the crossbar from only eight yards out following Toney’s pull-back from the byeline, then shot over and also curled an effort just wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Toney, whose 31 league goals helped Brentford gain promotion last season, headed off target from a well-worked free-kick and nearly caught out Albion goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with a cheeky long-range effort.
Brighton has already beaten Burnley and Watford this season and should have gone ahead early on. However, former England forward Danny Welbeck could only shoot tamely at David Raya when he only had the Bees keeper to beat.
In a second-half largely lacking quality, the better chances continued to fall to the hosts but Shandon Baptiste, making his first Premier League start, wasted another opportunity.
Brentford deserved at least a point, but their fans went home disappointed when Trossard collected the ball from substitute Alexis Mac Allister, dribbled along with the 18-yard box and unleashed a fine strike for the winning goal.
The only downside for Brighton was a first-half injury to centre-back Adam Webster who sustained a muscle injury when making a clearance and had to be replaced.
Brentford is next in action on 18 September with an away game at Wolves (12:30 BST), before Brighton entertain Leicester the following day (14:00 BST).
In Other News – Arsenal 1 – 0 Norwich City
Arsenal lifted the pressure on manager Mikel Arteta as they secured their first points of the Premier League season with a victory over Norwich City at Emirates Stadium.
Arteta was under mounting scrutiny after a miserable start to the campaign with three defeats that left the Gunners at the foot of the table, so a win that was workmanlike rather than spectacular will be gratefully received. learn more
source – BBC Sport
