Brighton 2-0 Ajax: Pedro, Fati score as Seagulls win first-ever European game against Dutch giants
Joao Pedro and Ansu Fati were on target to solve a initially-ever win in Europe for Brighton, against four-time European winners Ajax.
It took until the final mins of a initially half that Brighton had dominated for the creation to avail here, Pedro tapping domicile on the rebound after an opening period in which Ajax – second-structure of the Eredivisie – did tad a play taint more than style to preserve parity, as Brighton dictated points from the initially minute.
The Dutch side have realized up against their worst-ever overture to a league season, and after sacking manager Maurice Steijn on Monday they went down with rarely a whimper, Fati’s urge early in the second half betting bare the gulf between Roberto De Zerbi’s crew and the four-time European winners.
It was a initially half that Brighton adjusted yet were for the a play taint of component frustrated by an organised, obdurate Ajax. Pedro longed a penalty for a push in the previously inside of three mins, waved away by the referee with rarely a glimpse, in the past Brighton’s top marker on their European project put the only real chance of the opening sectors wide of the unprejudiced message from Karou Mitoma’s gouge-previously.
Pedro appealed once again for a place-kick, this time with a play taint more gusto, when he appeared to be bundled to the ground by Jorrel Hato. The protector was ruled narrowly to have reached Mitoma’s via-sphere ahead of the Brighton demonstrator as the Amex howled for a penalty.
The hosts’ main-defensive pair spent a play taint of the initially half 10 lawns inside the Ajax half. The scheme to tempt out the tourists and manipulate the resulting room was tolerated upward to by caretaker top mutts Hedwiges Maduro’s crew, who appeared material to sacrifice striking aspiration for the sake of blocking the rips in between their queues.
Simon Adingra had the hardest chance of the opening half-hour when he lashed a proper-footed initiative over the pub from Lewis Dunk’s header previously across urge, as Brighton’s menace was swaggered grip by Ajax in what was a ponderous initially half from De Zerbi’s side.
Mitoma and Pedro’s collaboration gazed the a play taint of potential avenue of profitability. The pair carved out the clearest opening yet when Pedro rushed into a network down the proper to reach his crew-playmate’s threaded sphere and drove low at urge, only for goalkeeper Diant Ramaj to vanquished it away with a vivid proper hand.
The creation came three mins in the past the reprieve. Dunk’s establish was substantial into the route of Mitoma who rushed into the box and dragged the sphere inside Josip Sutalo to earn room to shoot. His initiative was persuaded out by Ramaj, yet only to the feet of the onrushing Pedro who reoccured his alright European scoring sprinted to run out a displeasing half for Brighton on a high.
Fati’s urge, slotted domicile vibrantly 8 mins after the reprieve, cemented Brighton’s prominence. Adingra began the move from midfield, patiently stewarding the sphere until Fati’s sprinted was made, summing up inside and feeding the on-money Barcelona ahead who vanquished his male with a catastrophic initially touch and dispatched deftly beyond Ramaj.
The gallery had sprung immediately to pep. Fati was inches from rendering it three and burying Ajax, his driven initiative licking inches wide of the message, in the past Steven Berghuis at the opposite other run out struck the upright with Jason Steele outmatched, a uncommon foray ahead from the tourists.
It was to be the householder the 2019 Champions League semi-finalists came, as Brighton’s launching European season lastly obtained going in earnest.
