Brighton & Hove Albion 1 – 1 Everton
Everton stole a point from Brighton & Hove Albion at the American Express Stadium on Saturday with almost the last kick of the game after the defence finally yielded.
In the very last minute, a quick ball out to Garner who swng in a cross that was deflected to O’Brien. His snapshot was bundled out by Verbruggen but hammered into the net by Beto, and Everton deliriously happy with the point.
Moyes went with 4 centre-backs, assuming the returning Michael Keane is not paired up as a striker with Thierno Barry. Neither Vitalii Mykolenko nor Adam Aznou are included in today’s squad.
Harrison Armstrong retains his place, having proven to Moyes, “he does not look out of place in the Premier League…” but will this be his last game for Everton before returning to Preston?
First Half
The home side got the game underway, the centre-backs doing a bit of good early covering. They almost scored in the next attack, a ricochet going just wide, out for a corner.
The corner was long but Mitoma clipped a beautiful cross right back into the mixer, Pickford grasping Welbeck’s header before Van Hecke rudely barged him and drew the ire of James Tarkowski.
Barry failed to control a ball played up to him, scooting away for a goal-kick and Brighton began to rebuild but ran offside. Everton worked forward with a lot of passes… and then worked it back to Pickford for a hoof, Armstrong wrongly called for a foul on Mitoma.
Ndiaye skipped into a packed Brighton area but his cross was easily neutralised. A Brighton attack saw Rutter volley a difficult cross first time, sliced wide. A decent Brighton move down the middle almost paid off with Van Hecke driving forward.
A great cross in was well headed behind off Rutter’s head by Branthwaite, at the expense of a corner that Welbeck thankfully headed wide. xG = 0.74? O’Brien then did well to stall Mitoma down the Brighton left.
Another very threatening Brighton move saw Mitoma fire across goal when it looked easier to score… xG = 0.87!!! Brighton: 7 attempts off 72% possession inthe first 20 minutes.
A long ball down the Everton right was brilliantly kept in by O’Brien, crossed first time to Ndiaye but then worked all the way back. But Everton built a quicker attack and Ndiaye should have done better but Kadioglu was all over him.
Pickford hoofed another bomb upfield, Ndiaye forcing Van Hecke to head it out for a throw… but again they went back to Pickford. Ndiaye was pegged back by Van Hecke. Everton were having some better possession now but not getting very far forward, Barry heading in back for Brighton to pick up.
Dewsbury-Hall did well to set Ndiaye off and running but he was thwarted again. Eventually, Garner curled a ball forward for Barry but it was far too close to Verbruggen. After 30 minutes, still no attempts on goal from Everton.
A terrible giveaway from Ndiaye saw Rtter scamper forward and win a corner off Branthwaite. This onne looped to the back post where Welbeck again headed it behind. Some spicey exchanges on the Everton 18-yard line ended when Garner was fouled.
Gana rescued a deep forward ball and put in a great cross that was just too high for Barry. Ndiaye had to come back and support the defence to block Van Hecke.
Armstrong showed superb skill and timing to slide-tackle Mitoma perfectly at full pace. Remarkable!
Everton got a bit stretched when Brighton turned the ball over and again it was up to the centre-back to provide the big black wall. Another very dangerous Brighton attack and Branthwaite’s superb intervention denied Welbeck a glorious chance, and another corner, Pickford blocked and fouled.
Everton were forward quickly and Garner swung a quick ball to the far post where Barry might have leapt for it but went with his foot instead. He just seems to lack critical desire and intensity to throw himself at the ball.
A long throw from O’Brien bounced through harmlessly to Verbruggen… does that count as a shot on target? xG = 0.02 — no, the real xG for the entire first half was 0.00 for Everton, 1.07 for Brighton.
The four centre-backs had done their various tasks admirably in the first half to keep the score level and Everton still in for a point.
Second Half
The All-Blacks resumed, back to Pickford, hoofed forward so far it evaded Barry for a Brighton goal-kick. Armstrong showing a bit of fight to win the ball up high, but fouling his man.
Numerous Pickford hoofs were returned without Everton getting beyond the half-way line. Finally a drive down the left got beyond O’Brien but not Tarkowski.
Gross looked to have a chance on a long Brighton ball but Garner was across him smartly to move the ball away. Everton drove down the middle, Dewsbury-Hall firing inches past the post. xG = 0.35
Gross cut through Armstrong, yellow card. Dewsbury-Hall wasted the dangerous free-kick wide right, impossible for Branthwaite to reach.
Everton were almost playing front-foot at this point, such was the attacking pressure, a lovely cross in from O’Brien glanced on by Branthwaite, who then slid dangerously under Ayari and he too saw yellow… looked a lot worse than it was, but mainly for the landing.
Everton drove forward again and the cutback almost reached a black shirt. Brighton drove back at them well winning a corner, but Van Hecke again fouled Pickford and the vistors went up the other end to win a corner themselves. Good delivery from Garner but Dunk was in the sweet spot to head clear.
Barry got forward and was gifted the ball, played it back to Dewsbury-Hall, a sitter surely for him to hammer into the roof of the net but Verbruggen anticipated and save his rather lame pass barely above the ground and saved it. xG = 0.98!!! That really got the Evertonians going though, behind he goal.
From an O’Brien long throw, it looked promising but would not fall to a boot. From the corner, somehow Tarkowski’s effort was kept out — it bounced away off O’Brien with Verbruggen on is back.
Up the other end and Brighton really threatened but the Everton defence seemed to do its job. But suddenly a clever dummy by Kadioglu on a cross from Ayari and a big chance opened up for Pascal Gross and he made no mistake. xG = 1.00
Everton were a little shell-shocked while Brighton were visibly enthused, and Moyes moved to make three changes in a desperate effort to regain his lost point.
Garner was forced to concede a clumsy free-kick with his challenge on Gross. Mitoma finished the move off but it was disallowed for offside… although it didn’t look offside. A strange one.
The impetus and greater energy remained with Brighton, who were forcing Everton to defend when they needed to be attacking, with less than 5 minutes left. A grner free-kick was easily turned over and Everton were defending again as Moyes dithered over two more changes.
Alcaraz had a chance to drive forward but the ball wouldn’t stick, with those changes finally coming in the 89th minute. Paatterson’s first contribution was a nice ball in for Keane to strike goalwards but an easy save for Verbruggen.
Into 6 minutes of added time and Beto was deemed to have fouled Van Hecke.
Patterson tried another ball in and it spun off Dunk up in the air but Verbrugen could collect. Good work by Dibling got the ball to Patterson but his cross was glanced away from Beto. Head tennis in the Brighton area but it was not falling for the All-Blacks.
It seemed to be all just huff and puff from Everton at the end but a move finally paid off in the very last minute: a quick ball out to Garner who swung in a cross that was deflected to O’Brien. His snapshot was bundled out by Verbruggen but hammered into the net by Beto. Tarkowski was technically offside but had not done enough to interfere, and the goal stood. 1-1 final score!!!
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Rutter (60′ Minteh), Baleba, Welbeck (68′ Kostoulas), Mitoma, Kadioglu, Ayari, De Cuyper (70′ Veltman), Gross [Y:53′] (Milner).
Subs not Used: Steele, Julio, Gruda, Boscagli, Howell.
Everton: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Branthwaite (89′ Patterson), Gana (80′ Iroegbunam), Garner, Armstrong (80′ Dibling), Dewsbury-Hall (80′ Alcaraz), Ndiaye, Barry (89′ Beto).
Subs not Used: Travers, McNeil, Coleman, Röhl.