Bart Verbruggen saved Igor Thiago’s stoppage-time penalty after the Brazilian beat him with his first to preserve the Seagulls’ 2-1 comeback win in a downpour at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
Thiago’s first half penalty was his ninth goal of the season, a total trailing only Erling Haaland, but Brighton rallied in the second half.
WATCH — Brighton v Brighton full match replay
Yankuba Minteh set up both of Brighton’s goals, assisting Danny Welbeck’s seventh of the season before his lung-bursting run and blocked shot was finished by Jack Hinshelwood.
Thiago got his second shot from the spot in stoppage time and went the same way as his first. Verbruggen got low to block and collect the ball.
Verbruggen the difference between 5th and 12th
These two teams were so finely-poised for a thriller and the rain made the affair even faster. Brighton were more of the possession side but the Bees were generating danger. Thiago’s first penalty was deliberate, perhaps on account of the rain, and it worked well to make it 1-0. But Minteh and Welbeck were sharp and active, and Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler made two changes early, with Maxime De Cupyer taking the place of defensive-minded Carlos Baleba. The game opened up more but Brighton were more dangerous and took a deserved lead. It all looked set for a deadlock when Brighton conceded another penalty. But Thiago did not alter his shot selection, again perhaps because of the wet pitch, and Verbruggen figured the Brazilian might do just that. On this muddled Premier League table, the difference between three points and one was a leap to fifth that left the Bees down in 12th.
What’s next?
Brentford host Burnley at 10am ET Saturday, a day before Brighton go to Nottingham Forest for a 9:05am kickoff.
How to watch Brighton vs Brentford live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10pm ET Saturday
Venue: Amex Stadium — East Sussex
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Brighton vs Brentford final score: 2-1
Igor Thiago pen 28', Danny Welbeck 71', Jack Hinshelwood 84'
Brighton vs Brentford live updates
Bart Verbruggen saves Igor Thiago penalty
Thiago goes the same way as his first penalty and Verbruggen blocks and corrals it!
Brentford stoppage-time penalty!
A takedown in the box will give the Bees another chance from the spot.
Jack Hinshelwood goal — Brighton 2-1 Brentford
Look at that technique!
A long prayer of a diagonal is tracked down by Minteh, who ends up seeing a shot from the let blocked toward the top of the box.
Jack Hinshelwood knifes a spinning, outside-of the-boot shot inside the near post. It’s so clever.
Brighton lead.
Danny Welbeck goal — Brighton 1-1 Brentford
Yankuba Minteh whips in a hard cross from the right.
It’s aimed behind the line and Welbeck meets it where it lands with an elegant finish just inside the near post.
Special goal from an in-form player.
Brighton subs
Carlos Baleba and Olivier Boscagli exit the fray for Lewis Dunk and Maxim De Cuyper.
Boscagli was on yellow and Baleba conceded the penalty but perhaps is just the sacrifice for De Cupyer’s attacking flair.
Halftime — Brighton 0-1 Brentford
Brighton kept 60% of the ball and ripped nine shots to Brentford’s four.
But it’s the penalty that’s standing as the difference. The Keith Andrews era is shiny so far.
Dangerous Brighton free kick
Carlos Baleba drives past a defender and innocently trips himself but it’s been viewed as a foul and Brighton get a free kick.
Danny Welbeck misses the mark from a dangerous position, sending an arrow that’s two yards off frame.
Igor Thiago penalty goal — Brighton 0-1 Brentford
Will the pouring rain and slick grass affect Igor Thiago’s chance?
Maybe, only in that he uses a short, sharp run-up before passing into the corner of the goal.
Brentford penalty
Carlos Baleba cleans out Dango Ouattara with a slide in the box and Brentford are going to the spot before the half-hour mark.
Kelleher limits danger to corner
So clever from Yankuba Minteh, who shakes a defender on the right of the box and drives toward the spot only to backheel for Mats Wieffer.
The back labels a shot but it’s right at Caoimhin Kelleher, who parries for a corner that is handled by the Bees.
The game is as frantic and aggressive as you’d like, which suits both teams.
0-0, 10'
Brighton lineup
Verbruggen, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Ayari, Baleba, Rutter, Gomez, Minteh, Welbeck
Brentford lineup
Kelleher, Ajer, Van den Berg, Collins, Kayode, Henderson, Yarmoliuk, Schade, Damsgaard, Ouattara, Thiago
Brighton vs Brentford preview
The host Seagulls have lost just once since Week 4 and look to run their most recent Premier League unbeaten run to three games after beating Leeds and drawing rivals Crystal Palace to leave Fabian Hurzeler’s men sitting 11th with 16 points through 11 games.
Brentford have collected the same total and amassed real hope via four wins from six for new boss Keith Andrews.
The Bees have been buoyed by Igor Thiago, scorer of the second-most goals in the Premier League this season (8). They’ve beaten Manchester United, West Ham, Liverpool, and Newcastle since Sept. 27, only dropping points with losses to Man City and Palace.
Brighton team news, focus
OUT: Kaoru Mitoma (foot), James Milner (muscular), Adam Webster (knee), Solly March (knee)| QUESTIONABLE: Jack Hinshelwood (ankle)
Brentford team news, focus
OUT: Antoni Milambo (knee), Fabio Carvalho (torn ACL), Josh Dasilva (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Kristoffer Ajer (lower back)
Brighton vs Brentford prediction
The Seagulls are considered significant favorites, at least relative to what one would expect from two teams so evenly poised in terms of results. That may scare some from predicting a full upset, but the Bees have been quite good at finding ways into the win column as underdogs this season. Brighton 1-1 Brentford.
