Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

PIX: Chelsea lose at Southampton, Fulham beat Brighton

Last updated on: August 31, 2022 04:47 IST

A summary of Tuesday's action in the Premier League.

Romeo Lavia celebrates scoring Southampton's opening goal with Kyle Walker-Peters during the Premier League match against Southampton, at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, on Tuesday.

IMAGE: Romeo Lavia celebrates scoring Southampton's opening goal with Kyle Walker-Peters during the Premier League match against Southampton, at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, on Tuesday. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

Chelsea's stuttering start to the season continued as they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Southampton on Tuesday despite Raheem Sterling giving them an early lead.

Sterling struck in the 23rd minute with his third goal in two games but Chelsea's lead was short-lived.

 

Romeo Lavia levelled five minutes later with a thumping finish from outside the area.

Adam Armstrong then turned the match on its head in first-half stoppage time -- finishing superbly to round off a slick passing move by the hosts.

Chelsea, beaten at Leeds United in their previous away game, were unable to make much impression on a tireless Saints side in the second half despite plenty of possession.

Southampton's win moved them to seven points from five games, the same total as Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea.

"We knew it would be a tough night tonight. Chelsea are a tough opposition but the lads dug deep," Armstrong said.

"Nights like this we won't forget. It was frustrating on Saturday (against Manchester United), we had a few chances. That is football. We dug deep tonight."

Raheem Sterling puts Chelsea ahead.

IMAGE: Raheem Sterling puts Chelsea ahead following a scrimmage in the box. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

Chelsea actually started well and took the lead when Kai Havertz played in Mason Mount who crossed low for Sterling whose initial effort was blocked.

But the former Manchester City forward gathered the loose ball with his back to goal and cleverly worked some space before slotting the ball past Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu.

Undeterred, Southampton quickly got on the front foot and when a ball was cleared out to Lavia, he took a touch before belting a shot past Edoaurd Mendy.

Southampton went ahead with a silky move that saw James Ward-Prowse link up with Romain Perraud who played a pass in towards Armstrong who had dropped into space.

His powerful shot took a touch off Kalidou Koulibaly before flying high past Mendy.

Southampton's intensity after the break restricted Chelsea's chances and there were loud celebrations at the final whistle.

Fulham end Brighton's unbeaten run

Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring Fulham's first goal with Neeskens Kebano, Joao Palhinha and Bobby Decordova-Reid, against Brighton & Hove Albion, at Craven Cottage, London.

IMAGE: Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring Fulham's first goal with Neeskens Kebano, Joao Palhinha and Bobby Decordova-Reid, against Brighton & Hove Albion, at Craven Cottage, London. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

Aleksandar Mitrovic bagged his 100th goal for Fulham on the way to a 2-1 Premier League win over Brighton & Hove Albion at Craven Cottage, bringing an end to the visitors' longest unbeaten run in the top flight.

"A great win, a great three points," Fulham manager Marco Silva told reporters. "We controlled the game really well. They (the players) deserved the win."

For long stretches of the first half Fulham sat deep and sought to catch the visitors out on the break. While they did manage to break forward a number of times, with Mitrovic making some mazy runs goalwards, they were let down by their wayward final touches.

At the other end Solly March had the best chance of the half for Brighton, but sent his header wide of Bernd Leno's goal.

Mitrovic finally broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Neeskens Kebano swept the ball across the goalmouth for the powerful Serb to fire in at the far post. It was the striker's 100th goal for the Cottagers in all competitions.

Fulham had the Seagulls reeling seven minutes later when Andreas Pereira crossed the ball in only for Lewis Dunk to deflect it heavily into his own net, piling the misery on Graham Potter's men.

Brighton were thrown a lifeline moments later, however, when Bobby De Cordova-Reid brought down Pervis Estupinan in the area, and Alexis Mac Allister smashed his penalty in high past the lunging Bernd Leno.

De Cordova-Reid spurned a golden opportunity to restore Fulham's two-goal advantage in the 70th minute when Mitrovic laid the ball off for him on the right side of the area, only for the Jamaican forward to blaze his shot high and wide.

But Fulham held on for the win in front of the crowd of 22,224, with the home fans cheering ecstatically when referee Thomas Bramall, officiating his first top division match, blew the whistle after six minutes of extra time.

The win lifts Fulham to sixth in the table on eight points from five games, while Brighton remain in fourth place on 10 points ahead of a full slate of midweek fixtures.

It also brings to an end Brighton's nine-match unbeaten run, their longest in the Premier League.

Leeds rally to hold Everton at home

Luis Sinisterra celebrates scoring the equaliser for Leeds United against Everton at Elland Road, Leeds.

IMAGE: Luis Sinisterra celebrates scoring the equaliser for Leeds United against Everton at Elland Road, Leeds. Photograph: Craig Brough/Reuters

Leeds United's Luis Sinisterra cancelled out Anthony Gordon's first-half opener for Everton as the two sides drew 1-1 in a pulsating Premier League clash at Elland Road.

Strongly linked with a switch to Chelsea, Gordon started and finished the move that led to the opening goal in the 17th minute, cutting in from the left before collecting Alex Iwobi's pass and slotting the ball through the legs of Illan Meslier.

Leeds striker Rodrigo Moreno missed a golden opportunity to put his side level in the 22nd minute as Jack Harrison flashed the ball across the box, but the Spaniard failed to connect with the goal at his mercy.

The 31-year-old left the field 10 minutes later having suffered a shoulder injury in a tangle with Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, and though Leeds continued to enjoy plenty of possession for the remainder of the half they struggled to break down a stubborn Everton defence.

The home side poured on the pressure straight after the break and got the goal they deserved when Sinisterra, making his first Premier League start, rifled home a bouncing shot in the 55th minute after a number of near-misses.

Demarai Gray thought he had put Everton back into the lead in the 66th minute but the goal was chalked off following a VAR review that found him to be offside.

Both sides squandered a number of decent chances to add to their tally as the game ended in a draw that leaves Leeds fifth in the table on eight points while Everton, who are still without a win this season, climb to 15th spot on three points.

Wissa earns Brentford late point at Palace

Wilfried Zaha scores a stunner to put  Crystal Palace ahead against Brentford, at  Selhurst Park, London.

IMAGE: Wilfried Zaha scores a stunner to put Crystal Palace ahead against Brentford, at Selhurst Park, London. Photograph: Tony Obrien/Reuters

Yoane Wissa headed a late equaliser after coming on a substitute to earn Brentford a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.

Palace looked to be easing towards three points after in-form Wilfried Zaha's stunning opener in the 59th minute.

Zaha cut in from the left to curl an unstoppable right-footed effort into the far corner, his fourth goal in the Premier League this season.

But Brentford hung in and Wissa was unmarked in the penalty area to salvage a point -- his effort standing after a VAR check for off-side went in favour of the visitors.

Brentford almost won it late on with Rico Henry having a great chance saved and Ben Mee heading against the crossbar.

It would have been tough on Patrick Vieira's Palace if they had ended empty-handed and especially on Zaha, who has started the season impressively.

Zaha illuminated the London derby just before the hour when he received a pass by Cheick Doucoure on the edge of the penalty area before cutting in and bending a shot with minimum back-lift.

He had looked Palace's most dangerous player in a first half of few chances, twice having efforts blocked by Brentford defender Aaron Hickey.

Michael Olise also grazed the post with a left-foot effort shortly before Zaha broke the deadlock.

Brentford are a resilient side, however, and went home happy thanks to Wissa's late leveller.

A third draw for Brentford left them on six points from their opening five games with Palace on five.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.