Late Pedro penalty earns Brighton draw at Marseille

2 years ago 39

ARTICLE AD BOX

Joao Pedro scored a late penalty as Brighton fought back from two goals down to earn their first point in European football with a battling Europa League draw at Marseille.

The Seagulls were looking to bounce back after they thrashed 6-1 by Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Two goals in as many first-half minutes gave them a mountain to climb as former Newcastle defender Chancel Mbemba swept in before Jordan Veretout took advantage of a mistake by Brighton captain Lewis Dunk to add a second moments later.

Brighton thought they were awarded a penalty by the video assistant referee (VAR) soon after, with the referee appearing to point to the spot after consulting the pitchside monitor, but instead a free-kick for a foul was given to Marseille.

The visitors overcame that disappointment to pull a goal back early in the second half when Pascal Gross drove in from a Kaoru Mitoma cutback, before Pedro kept his cool to roll home a penalty to complete the impressive recovery.

A tale of two halves

After conceding two quick goals, a point looked unlikely for Brighton, who were far from at their best in the opening 45 minutes.

They struggled to produce their usual free-flowing football and were making mistakes in defence, with Mbemba given far too much space for the opener before an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration by Dunk.

When VAR confusion led to Brighton not getting a penalty they thought they had been given before the break, it looked like it would not be their night.

But Roberto de Zerbi's side came out for the second half much improved as they attacked with pace and a directness that Marseille struggled to deal with.

Gross' goal gave Brighton hope and when Tariq Lamptey was brought down inside the box, Pedro stepped up to score his third goal in Europe.

There remain concerns over Brighton defensively - they have conceded 20 goals in 10 games in all competitions this season - but they will rightly celebrate this historic point.

How to play

Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection

Marseille

Squad number16Player namePau López
Squad number7Player nameClauss
Squad number99Player nameMbemba
Squad number5Player nameBalerdi
Squad number62Player nameMurillo
Squad number11Player nameHarit
Squad number21Player nameRongier
Squad number27Player nameVeretout
Squad number29Player nameNdiaye
Squad number10Player nameAubameyang
Squad number20Player nameCorrea

Squad number8Player nameOunahi
Squad number9Player nameVítinha
Squad number12Player nameRenan Lodi
Squad number23Player nameSarr

Brighton & Hove Albion

Squad number23Player nameSteele
Squad number34Player nameVeltman
Squad number29Player namevan Hecke
Squad number5Player nameDunk
Squad number2Player nameLamptey
Squad number13Player nameGroß
Squad number8Player nameDahoud
Squad number7Player nameMarch
Squad number31Player nameAnsu Fati
Squad number22Player nameMitoma
Squad number18Player nameWelbeck

Squad number9Player nameJoão Pedro
Squad number11Player nameGilmour
Squad number24Player nameAdingra
Squad number28Player nameFerguson

Line-ups

Marseille

Formation 4-3-3

16López
7ClaussBooked at 87mins
99Mbemba
5BalerdiBooked at 89mins
62Murillo
11Harit
21Rongier
27VeretoutSubstituted forOunahiat 51'minutes
29NdiayeSubstituted forLodiat 79'minutes
10AubameyangSubstituted forCarvalho Oliveiraat 62'minutes
20CorreaSubstituted forSarrat 62'minutesBooked at 84mins

Substitutes

1Ngapandouetnbu
8Ounahi
9Carvalho Oliveira
12Lodi
18Meïté
23Sarr
33Tunkadi
34Nadir
36Blanco
37Soglo
42Caprice

Brighton

Formation 4-2-3-1

23Steele
34VeltmanBooked at 84mins
29van Hecke
5DunkBooked at 83mins
2Lamptey
13GroßBooked at 55mins
8DahoudSubstituted forGilmourat 67'minutes
7MarchSubstituted forAdingraat 77'minutes
31Ansu FatiSubstituted forJoão Pedroat 67'minutes
22Mitoma
18WelbeckSubstituted forFergusonat 77'minutesBooked at 90mins

Substitutes

1Verbruggen
3dos Santos de Paulo
4Webster
9João Pedro
11Gilmour
20Baleba
24Adingra
28Ferguson
38McGill
40Buonanotte
41Hinshelwood

Live Text

Match ends, Marseille 2, Brighton and Hove Albion 2.
Second Half ends, Marseille 2, Brighton and Hove Albion 2.
Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Marseille. Conceded by Kaoru Mitoma.
Attempt blocked. Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
João Pedro (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille) is shown the yellow card.
Delay in match because of an injury Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Goal! Marseille 2, Brighton and Hove Albion 2. João Pedro (Brighton and Hove Albion) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Jonathan Clauss (Marseille) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Penalty Brighton and Hove Albion. Tariq Lamptey draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Jonathan Clauss (Marseille) after a foul in the penalty area.
Attempt missed. Simon Adingra (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by João Pedro with a cross.
Ismaïla Sarr (Marseille) is shown the yellow card.
Offside, Marseille. Leonardo Balerdi tries a through ball, but Ismaïla Sarr is caught offside.
Joël Veltman (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.