What might have been; what should have been. Leeds remain unbeaten three games into the season, but they will rue not departing the south coast with another win to add to their impressive start to the Premier League campaign.
They certainly had chances. By the time Brighton finally woke up with around half an hour remaining, Bart Verbruggen would have been wondering how on earth his goal had only once been breached, so great was Leeds’ dominance and so bullied had his side been. Yet, aside from Jayden Bogle’s early tap-in, the visitors just could not put the game to bed.
Their profligacy proved costly when Luka Vuskovic headed in with 19 minutes remaining to set up an unlikely thunderous conclusion from the hosts, which left Leeds clinging on to a point. Not since 2009, at the Withdean Stadium, have Leeds won a game at Brighton.
Having averaged more than 70% possession in their opening two league games, Brighton again had the lion’s share here, but rarely came close to doing anything with it. Perversely, in spite of the numbers, they also seemed incapable of retaining the ball in key positions for much of this match.
Had Dominic Calvert-Lewin – whose movement habitually caused issues – had his shooting radar properly calibrated, Leeds might have found themselves out of sight within the opening half hour. As it was, the visitors had only one goal to show for their far greater threat.
That came courtesy of Bogle, who was the beneficiary after Calvert-Lewin’s header was palmed out to Ao Tanaka, who squared across the face of goal for Leeds’ wing-back to complete the job by tapping in from a yard. Oddly, it was the first Leeds goal in nine away trips to Brighton, stretching all the way back to November 2012.
Calvert-Lewin had earlier been mightily relieved to see the offside flag belatedly raised after sticking an effort well wide when put clear through on goal, and the feeling that it was not his day only strengthened when he failed to convert a similar opportunity soon after Leeds had taken the lead. Unintentionally released by a stray Brighton pass, the England striker rounded Verbruggen and passed into an empty net only for Lewis Dunk to slide on the goalline and turn it wide. Tanaka promptly smashed against the crossbar from the resulting corner.
The home fans produced a smattering of boos at the half-time whistle, prompted more so at the ease with which their side was being frequently cut apart than their lack of cutting edge in an attack shorn of injured trio Georginio Rutter, Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma.
Much has been said about Brighton’s decision not to recruit a senior striker to replace the departed Danny Welbeck but, for the concern about where their goals might come from, they came into this game as the Premier League’s top scorers with seven from their first two games.
There was little to quell the Amex’s disgruntlement immediately after the break when Anton Stach almost scored from close range and then delivered a wonderful cross that Tanaka turned past Verbruggen. Thankfully, for the hosts, the goal was ruled out with the Japanese midfielder straying a couple of inches offside.
Only on the hour – with Leeds’ xG sitting at 2.5 and Brighton’s languishing just above 0.1 – did the hosts begin to play. Charalampos Kostoulas produced a wonderful jinking solo run, weaving his way past four men before sticking a weak effort into the hands of James Trafford, who had to hastily be at full stretch to turn a Malick Yalcouye curling shot round the upright. Vuskovic then nodded in Maxim De Cuyper’s corner at the far post for the equaliser.
Suddenly it was a different game. Yasin Ayari curled into Trafford’s hands, Promise David turned an effort over the bar, and Pascal Gross then smashed too high when gifted a prime opportunity from six yards out.
In all, Brighton managed an astonishing 17 shots in the second half. They probably should have scored another. What might have been; what should have been.
