Leeds United 2 Brighton 2: Whites fall into drop zone despite double comeback and injury returns - YEP 11/3/23
Leeds United fought back twice to claim a 2-2 draw from Saturday’s hosting of highflying Brighton but fell into the Premier League drop zone after wins for Bournemouth and Everton.
Lee Sobot
Brighton went ahead in the 33rd minute as Argentina World
Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister applied a simple headed finish from close range
after Kaoru Mitoma had headed a Pascal Gross delivery back across the box.
Leeds drew level in spectacular fashion seven minutes later
as Jack Harrison squared the ball to Patrick Bamford whose rising shot from the
edge of the area took a deflection before flying past keeper Jason Steele in
off the bar.
Brighton went back in front in the 61st minute as Solly
March converted from close range as Leeds failed to properly clear a low cross
from Mitoma from the left side of the box.
But Leeds drew level for the second time in the 79th minute
as substitute Willy Gnonto played a short corner to Harrison who cut inside
before unleashing a terrific curler into the top right corner.
Leeds began reasonably brightly but the Whites were unable
to find a killer ball and the closest they came was when Marc Roca saw a firm
shot blocked.
Brighton threatened in the 15th minute as a Joel Veltman
cross from the right flew off Robin Koch and behind for a corner.
After Max Wober lost possession, Alexis Mac Allister was
unable to find Conor Ferguson in the box and a sliding tackle from Wober then
saved the day as Pervis Estupinan steamed in behind the back line from the left
side.
Veltman saw a low drive blocked from the corner before Mac
Allister blazed wide.
Mac Allister was in again a few minutes later down the left
but his attempt to finish with the outside of his boot was easily saved by
Illan Meslier
From a Leeds break, a Tyler Adams drive from the edge of the
box hit Luke Ayling on the back before flying wide.
Leeds then had a decent chance in the 29th minute when a
left flank cross from Jack Harrison dropped to Ayling at the far post but Kaoru
Mitoma got in Ayling's way and Ayling's shot was easily saved.
At the other end, Mac Allister pulled another attempt from
the edge of the area well wide but the Argentina international World Cup winner
looked Brighton's most dangerous player and put the visitors in front in the
33rd minute.
Pascal Gross worked space to send in a cross from the right
which Mitoma headed back across goal and Mc Allister could not miss with a
header from close range after getting himself free in the middle.
Just moments later, Mitoma was then easily picked out by a
long ball behind Ayling but his weak flicked shot was easily saved.
Boos started to ring out from the terraces as Brighton
controlled possession but Leeds drew level in spectacular fashion in the 40th
minute with a strike from Patrick Bamford that went in off the bar.
Determined pressing from Harrison allowed the winger to win
the ball on the left flank and Harrison squared the ball to Bamford who set
himself on the edge of the box before unleashing a rising effort which took a
deflection before flying past keeper Jason Steele in off the woodwork.
Bamford was again just three minutes later and sent a low
drive into the side netting as the tide threatened to fully turn.
But Brighton should have gone 2-1 up less than a minute
later after Mitoma was played in down the left before squaring the ball to Mac
Allister who sliced his shot wide from the middle of the box.
Leeds began the second half brightly and Brenden Aaronson
sent an effort over the bar from the edge of the box.
Moments later, Aaronson was only denied by a fantastic save
by Steele who clawed his shot on the turn wide after the American was set up by
Bamford.
Another Bamford contribution then sent Aaronson away one on
one with Lewis Dunk but Aaronson ran into a recovering defence and Brighton
cleared.
Leeds continued to press and more good work from Bamford set
up a chance for Harrison whose fierce shot was deflected wide.
But the Whites then squandered a fine chance to go ahead
following the corner as Harrison's cross dropped to Ayling who walloped his
attempt over the bar from the middle of a crowded box.
Estupinan walloped a thunderous drive well over as Brighton
looked to respond but the Seagulls went back ahead in the 61st minute after
more slack defending allowed Solly March to convert.
Mitoma breezed past Ayling down the left side of the box and
sent in a low cross which Wober tried to clear but his sliding block hit
Meslier and bounced out to March who beat Harrison to convert from close range.
Estupinan was then played in down the left moments later but
his cross into the area was cleared by Wober.
The returning Rodrigo, Willy Gnonto and Weston McKennie were
all brought on in the 65th minute as Bamford, Crysencio Summerville and Marc
Roca were withdrawn.
Brighton would have added a third goal in the 72nd minute
but for a decent save from Meslier to parry a March drive from the edge of the
box wide.
Meslier again saved the day moments later as he flew out to
save at the feet of substitute Danny Welbeck who had been played in behind the
Whites back line.
Welbeck then easily beat Wober to leave himself with just
Meslier to beat but the striker sent a wild shot over and wide.
And instead Leeds drew level in the 79th minute as Gnonto
played a short corner to Harrison who cut inside before unleashing a terrific
curler into the top right corner.
Leeds pressed for a winner roared on by a deafening Elland
Road crowd and Georginio Rutter was brought on to replace Aaronson with six
minutes left.
After a foul from Junior Firpo, Leeds survived a dangerous
Brighton free-kick in the first of four added minutes as Koch headed March’s
attempt wide.