Report: Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Leeds United | OneFootball

Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion 3 (Welbeck 11’, Gómez 64’, 70’)

Leeds United 0

Brighton: Verbruggen (GK), Dunk (C), van Hecke, Rutter (Oriola 90’), Minteh (Kostoulas 88’), Baleba, Welbeck (Watson 81’), Kadioglu, Gómez (Tzimas 81’), Ayari (Knight 90’), Wieffer. Subs not used: Steele (GK), Boscagli, De Cuyper, Coppola.

Leeds: Perri (GK), Bogle (Justin 77’), Gudmundsson, Ampadu (C), Rodon, Longstaff (Stach 60’), Calvert-Lewin (Nmecha 65’), Aaronson, Bijol, Okafor (Harrison 77’), Tanaka (James 60’). Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Struijk, Piroe, Gruev.

Venue: American Express Stadium

Attendance: 31,512

Referee: Michael Oliver

Booked: (Brighton) Ampadu (Leeds)

Leeds United were beaten by Brighton Hove Albion in the Premier League on a disappointing afternoon on the South Coast.

Ahead of the clash in Sussex, Daniel Farke named an unchanged side to the team that were victorious over West Ham United last time out.

Following an impeccably observed moment of silence as part of the hosts’ Remembrance fixture, action got underway and a first real sight of goal came as the opposition collected a loose ball. Yasin Ayari made his way to the edge of the area, forcing goalkeeper Lucas Perri into an impressive save down to his right.

Brighton opened the scoring just after the 10-minute mark following a quick break down the right which saw Danny Welbeck sweep home Mats Wieffer’s cut-back.

United went close to drawing level within moments as Sean Longstaff threaded an intricate ball in behind for Jayden Bogle to latch onto. The full-back crossed dangerously for the onrushing Dominic Calvert Lewin though, at full-stretch, the striker was unable to connect.

Leeds had responded well to the early set back and again threatened an equaliser. Noah Okafor swung an enticing delivery to the back post which Bogle would have met if not for the last-ditch defending of Diego Gómez.

The Whites still had to be vigilant however and the Seagulls almost doubled their advantage when Welbeck, on the edge of the area, fizzed a right-footed effort narrowly beyond the upright before Yankuba Minteh also dragged wide on the break.

Farke’s men themselves had one more opportunity before Michael Oliver brought the opening period to a close. A clever flick from Calvert-Lewin released Okafor who in turn found Brenden Aaronson in the middle.

Laying the ball off for Longstaff, the midfielder drilled a fierce strike that cannoned off Jan Paul van Hecke and away from danger.

HALF TIME: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Leeds United

With the rain unrelenting on the South Coast, Leeds emerged from the break unchanged and were pressing intently as they searched for an equaliser.

Despite the bright start, on the counter, former United forward Georginio Rutter crashed a rasping drive into the side netting from distance.

Marauding down the left flank, Okafor then cut onto his right and whipped a teasing delivery towards the back post, just skidding off the wet surface and out of the reach of Bogle arriving at the back post.

The Swiss attacker then called Bart Verbruggen into action, darting into the penalty area from the flank and forcing a save from the goalkeeper as black shirts lurked in the middle.

It was Perri who was next to be busy between the sticks with the game growing into an open affair, diving to his left to clutch Gómez’s acrobatic first-time flick.

Moments after Calvert-Lewin fired beyond the upright from the edge of the area, first activity from the dugout brought Daniel James and Anton Stach into the action, replacing Ao Tanaka and Aaronson respectively.

Shortly after the hour mark, Gómez added a second for the hosts, bundling home from close range. The Paraguayan then grabbed his side’s third quickly after the restart.

The Whites came close to reducing the deficit through substitutes Lukas Nmecha and Stach but were unable to get on the scoresheet before the full-time whistle sounded.

Farke’s side return to action next weekend with a trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.

FULL TIME: Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Leeds United