It's Adingra's and Fati's world and we're all living in it!

After a week of rest, it was time for another three-game week for Brighton. A difficult trip to Goodison Park was up first. Next up was a trip over to Amsterdam to play the reformed Ajax, and finally the week ended with a visit from struggling Sheffield United. Could Brighton finally get that illusive league win?...

Everton started the first half on top, creating multiple chances early on. A long ball from Jordan Pickford found the feet of Dwight McNeil who whipped a wicked ball into the box. The cross wasn’t dealt with by James Milner as it cannoned off him and feel to Doucoure. The midfielder smashed his follow towards goal, but it was well saved by Bart Verbruggen. Minutes later Dwight McNeil picked up the ball down the left once again and tried to find another dangerous cross. This time the ball deflected off Veltman and fell to Mykolenko at the front post. Another shot was well saved by Verbruggen, but the rebound fell kindly to Mykolenko again. The Ukrainian put power behind his effort, and it deflected off Lewis Dunk and past Verbruggen. 1-0 Everton inside 7 minutes. Brighton responded well to the goal and immediately started playing better. The Seagulls won a free kick deep into Everton’s half and they knew this was a good opportunity to equalise. A fantastic ball from Pascal Gross landed perfectly into Dunk’s path who smashed a volley over Pickford and in off the crossbar. WHAT A GOAL! A lengthy VAR checked followed… an awful angle and pixelated image deemed Dunk to be offside. Speechless. The rest of the first half played at as you’d expect with Everton defending their lead until half-time. A good half from the Toffees and a disappointing one from the Seagulls.

The second half started with Brighton looking much better, making runs, and creating chances. The Seagulls won another free kick, but this time it was on the edge of the box. Dunk wasted no time in setting the ball up. The captain placed his shot towards the top right corner, but the effort was pushed over by Pickford. A Lewis Dunk free kick goal will happen soon. The away side were really attacking down the wings and getting Mitoma into the game. The number 22 had the beating of Young on most occasions, but the best chance fell to Pascal Gross. A pullback from Mitoma rolled towards Gross. A powerful effort whistled over the bar. Fulltime was quickly approaching. The game was pretty much all Brighton now, they just needed that moment of magic or moment of luck. Mo Dahoud picked up the ball in midfield and effortlessly floated as pass out to Mitoma who cut inside then back outside to beat Harrison. The only option was to cross the ball as he entered the box. A poor cross deflected off Ashely Young and over Pickford the put Brighton level. A moment of magic and a moment of luck. Nice. The Seagulls’ confidence was high now and pushed sides pushed for a winner. A scrappy chance in the box was just about cleared away by Brighton and the referee brought the game to end. A well-deserved point for both teams as Brighton headed off to Amsterdam a few days later.

Immediately, the attention turned to Ajax. The Seagulls needed to get a win to give them the best chance of getting out of the group, while Ajax needed a win to keep some form of hope alive. The home side looked much better than the first game and created a few openings early on, but Brighton dominated from the off and pressed Ajax with aggression. Within 15 minutes that press paid off. Joao Pedro, Billy Gilmour, Mo Dahoud and Simon Adingra saw the opportunities to press and force Ajax back and force a mistake. A sloppy blind pass from Vos was intercepted by Adingra who drove forward into space. Joao Pedro’s reverse run created a huge gap for Adingra to slot the ball through to Ansu Fati who took one touch into his path, another to steady himself and a third to roll the ball past Ramaj. An absolute beauty of a goal from the Spaniard. Ajax responded well and looked for a quick equaliser, but a combination of weak shots and misplaced passes let them down. The home side also had a huge penalty appeal waved away after the ball struck Pascal Gross’ arm, but it was clearly in a natural position. Minutes later, Ajax had another penalty appealed waved away after Brobbey was bundled over by Lewis Dunk. Once again it was clear that the decision was correct, Lewis Dunk had just about got a touch on the ball. Halftime approached and the Seagulls thought they had a second after brilliant link up play from Fati and Adingra split the Ajax defence, but Adingra’s shot was well saved by Ramaj. Two minutes later the referee blew his whistle for halftime and the Seagulls headed in on top.

Brighton came up for the second half looking even hungrier, superb skill from Joao Pedro to twist through 4 players created space for a shot. The powerful shot lashed into the side netting. What a goal that would’ve been! Less than 10 minutes into the second half Brighton started another passing sequence. It started with a reverse pass from Mo Dahoud and ended with Ansu Fati finding Adingra in space, who calmly paced his shot over the goalkeeper and into the top corner to double Brighton’s lead. 2-0 Brighton as Sussex roars filled Amsterdam. The Seagulls didn’t stop there. They continued to push for more goals, and they could’ve added a third after Mitoma beat his man for pace and smashed a shot just over the bar. In any game of football, you need luck, and that’s what Brighton had on their side for the final 15 minutes of the game. A cross into the box was well met by Brobbey and his volley smashed off the near post and rolled agonisingly across the line to come out off the other posted. Heart in mouth for Brighton fans. After what seemed like decades, the referee finally blew the fulltime whistle and Brighton had their first ever European away win!

Two days later Brighton welcomed the Blades to the AMEX. A side in which they have never beaten in the Premier League. As you would’ve expected, Brighton started on the front foot and played some beautiful football. An inch perfect pass from Mo Dahoud set Ansu Fati off towards goal. The number 31 drove forward before cutting back inside and hitting a weak effort into the goalkeeper’s arms. A lively start for the Seagulls. Within minutes Sheffield United were under pressure again. Simon Adingra controlled Billy Gilmour’s switch off play and set off on a mazy run. One man, two man, three man, a pass to Buonanotte, a flick back to Adingra and a calm finish in off the post. “What a run! What a goal!”. The home side’s tails where up and they didn’t give Sheffield United a sniff in the first half. Another slipped ball (this time from Lallana) found Fati again, but his shot was well saved by Foderingham. Another chance followed soon after. Gilmour’s long ball was chested down by Buonanotte inside the box and the youngster tried to wrap his foot around the ball, but the shot flew inches wide of the near post. A long-range volley from Billy Gilmour was also brilliantly tipped over the bar by Foderingham just before halftime. Another solid first half performance from Brighton saw them in control.

While the Blades looked much better after the restart, it was still Brighton who had all the game. An effort from the edge of the box by Joao Pedro just curled over the bar, before Dahoud’s cross was blocked away by (what looked to be) the arm of Bogle. Huge appeals followed, but they were quickly dismissed by VAR. As the second half continued, it was still all Brighton. Direct running from Mitoma was creating chances by Foderingham was getting down quickly to make some fine saves. Suddenly, the game flipped on its head. A scrappy sequence of play in the midfield saw Dahoud challenge strongly for the ball and unintentionally stand on the Sheffield United player. The referee wasted no time in producing a red card. A very unlucky dismissal but rules are rules. The Baldes had a spring in their step now. They were starting to create a few chances and produce some nice football and inevitably they scored. A slipped pass was controlled by Bogle, who fired a low cross into the box which cannoned off Adam Webster and into the side netting. 1-1 with 15 minutes to play. These last 15 minutes were pretty much all Sheffield United, and they could’ve won the game if it wasn’t for a dragged shot from Archer. The match ended in disappointment for Brighton and joy for Sheffield. Despite all their chances and domination, the Seagulls still couldn’t find that illusive league win.