Spurs similar score with the Seagulls
Written By: Robert Halter
Tottenham Hotspur last met Brighton & Hove Albion in a League cup fourth round tie during 2014-15, when the Lilywhites ran out 2-0 winners, but this time it was Premier League action for Spurs and the Seagulls under the Wembley floodlights in mid December. In the fifth minute from a headed pass by Ezequiel Schelotto, a right footed strike by Jose Izquierdo, went too high and out of play. In the twentieth minute from an assist by Jan Vertonghen, a shot by Serge Aurier, went wide to the left on the right side of the box. Four minutes later, Heung-Min Son struck a shot on the right of the six yard box, over the top, after collecting the ball from Harry Kane. It was then the turn of Kane to miss with a header which went out to the right from the centre of the box, through a delivery by Harry Winks. The two players combined again on twenty five minutes when Winks found Kane, whose right footed effort outside the area was saved in the bottom left corner by Mat Ryan. On the half hour mark, off the left boot of Erik Lamela, the ball flew high and wide to the left, as Kane turned provider. The Seagulls responded on thirty six minutes, when from a cross by Anthony Knockaert, a solid header by Shane Duffy was stopped by Hugo Lloris, towards the top left corner. Three minutes later, the Lilywhites pressed again, when Moussa Sissoko had an attempt at goal at long range which was kept out in the centre of the goal by Ryan, after an opening had been created by Kane. But in the fortieth minute, Spurs took the lead in fortunate circumstances with a cross come shot by Aurier, whose right footed connection from an accute angle at considerable distance flew into the top left corner, following a pass by Winks. Four minutes into the second half, Albion were on the ascendancy when off the left peg of Davy Propper, the ball missed to the right, after he was found by Beram Kayal. Spurs threatened again on fifty one minutes, when a well time strike by Kane was kept away from the bottom left corner by Ryan, after a cross from Danny Rose. In the next minute from a Rose corner, the ball was struck over the top by Eric Dier, in shooting range within the middle of the target. On the hour mark, a chance fell to Tomer Hemed but his left footed connection was saved in the centre of the goal by Lloris, after Anthony Knockaert had made the opportunity. The Seagulls soon replaced Izquierdo with Solly March. Another attempt at goal by Brighton went away, when a Duffy header was stopped by Lloris in the top centre of the goal, following a cross by Schelotto, in the sixty fourth minute. In the next few minutes, Spurs brought on Mousa Dembele for Winks. But again Hemed was denied by Lloris, as his strike at goal was saved high in the middle of the net. It was the beginning of the end for Hemed, who was taken off for Glenn Murray. Spurs reacted by switching Lamela with Dele Alli. In the seventy fifth minute, Kane’s right footed shot at distance was kept out by Ryan, in the bottom right corner. Then two minutes later, Alli blazed a strike over the top, from outside the area. The Seagulls made another change with Pascal Gross replacing Beram Kayal. But it was the Lilywhites pressing for a second goal, when after a foul by Murray on Dier, a low free kick by Kane, went through the Brighton wall, and was turned against the inside of the right post by Ryan, before the ball rebounded back into play. But Spurs finally put the game to bed, when March’s challenge on Aurier was penalised, and from a free kick by Christian Eriksen on the right, a close range header in the six yard box by Son, was planted into the top right corner. At the end, Son went off to a hero’s welcome by manager, Mauricio Pochettino, after his place was briefly taken by Ben Davies. As the final whistle blew, Tottenham Hotspur had repeated the same 2-0 winning score line as when they last met Brighton & Hove Albion, with a welcome three points, before going to runaway Premier League leaders, Manchester City for a Saturday night showdown at the Etihad stadium.