Aston Villa 1-2 Brighton: Seagulls secures first win at Villa Park

11/21/2020 UK

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Solly March Scores — Solly March’s second goal of the season gave Brighton victory at Aston Villa

Brighton won at Villa Park for the first time in its history, deservedly beating Aston Villa in a dramatic and entertaining match.

Solly March’s delicious curly ending solved it after Ezri Konsa’s sliding EQ canceled the race and Danny Welbeck’s chip.

All of that preceded a frenzied period of injury time that saw Tariq Lamptey sent off for a second yellow card and the decision to sanction Villa for a March foul was overturned after referee Michael Oliver consulted the field monitor.

“I don’t know what a penalty is now. We could all hear the contact inside the ground,” Villa boss Dean Smith said.

The loss is Villa’s third straight at home in the league and also comes at the cost of a hamstring injury to Ross Barkley, who was stopped in the first two minutes.

They remain sixth, but risk falling into the table with most of the weekend’s games still to be played.

Brighton’s first win in two months does not improve their 16th position, but they are at least six points away from the relegation zone.

Styles match

This was made so enjoyable by incessant back and forth, a consequence of the contrasting styles. While Villa pressed high, Brighton leaned back, looking to break the rhythm and exploit an occasionally shaky home defense.

Barkley’s replacement Bertrand Traore and Jack Grealish pulled the strings for Villa, the latter routinely surrounded by a swarm of blue shirts.

Welbeck’s pace made Brighton’s first goal, but it was overshadowed by the electric Lamptey, who was a constant nuisance on the Seagulls’ right wing.

In the end, Brighton was simply more clinical, and Villa’s threat lessened after they fell behind a second time.

Brighton finds the cutting edge

Brighton had managed just three goals in their four previous league matches, but despite having to often muster men behind the ball, they maintained their attacking threat through Welbeck and his attacking partner Neal Maupay.

Welbeck’s first goal for the club and his fifth in as many games against Villa came against the game’s streak. With Villa’s defense caught too high up the field, Welbeck grabbed onto Adam Lallana’s punch and ran unchallenged from inside his own half before deftly lifting the ball over Emiliano Martinez.

Although Brighton lost Lallana’s creativity due to a groin injury at half-time and was forced to retreat shortly after, he did not flinch.

And, nine minutes after Villa’s tie, Pascal Gross rolled the ball across the front of the 18-yard area for March to add the delicious finish.

“Our second was a really good team goal and a great finish from Solly March,” said Brighton manager Graham Potter. “I am happy for him because he influences the games.

“We’ve had some penalties against us this season, so I’m not sure what a penalty is and isn’t these days. I know Solly touched the ball so we’re happy it went the way we want it to this time.”

Villa rue wasted opportunities – and VAR

Villa may point to the misfortune of Barkley’s injury and the reversal of the penalty decision, but they also engineered their own downfall through a series of missed opportunities and defensive errors.

Aston Villa 1-2 Brighton: Dean Smith says nobody knows what a penalty is right nowTrezeguet and Ollie Watkins were the biggest culprits, both guilty of wasting in the first half. Brighton’s defense was also determined, with a timely interception from Ben White preventing Watkins from entering the six-yard box and Mat Ryan making several saves, including an unorthodox volley from a Tyrone Mings header.Villa’s incision left them after Brighton’s second goal, but he still seemed to have earned a golden opportunity to snatch a point.Oliver pointed to the spot March caught Trezeguet but even though the contact with the man was clear, March got some of the ball too, and that was enough to convince Oliver to change his mind, leaving Villa baffled. .“If the VAR thinks it is not a penalty, tell the umpire that it is not a penalty,” Smith said. “It wasn’t given, so we have to take it on the chin.“I don’t think we were bad. We lost chances and made big mistakes on their goals. We have to defend much better. Brighton was a threat against us but I didn’t worry too much.”“I thought we were in control of the game and if we had taken our chances, we would have won.”