James Ward-Prowse lead the spectacular comeback in the Amex Stadium as the Southampton came behind two goals to draw away against Brighton. The midfielder scored both goals as the Saints picked up a point with a 2-2-digits.
Southampton´s afternoon was darkened by a potentially serious injury of Tino Livramento.
Brighton took the early lead scoring the opening goal after two minutes played. Marc Cucurella crossed the ball inside the box and Danny Welbeck poked in his fourth goal of the season.
Ten minutes later Southampton was close to net the equaliser. Livramento´s shot from long range hit the inside post bouncing back into the game, but Che Adams couldn´t reach it.
On the 18. minute Brighton got the ball inside the net again from the corner, as Neal Maupay nodded in Lewis Dunk´s strong header. Unfortunately for Brighton the Frenchman was offside and the goal was disallowed.
When the first half was hitting the half hour mark, Southampton suffered a setback. Livramento was seriously injured after trying to challenge Enoch Mwepu. The right back did hurt his knee badly and was carried off with stretchers.
Brighton finally took the two-goal lead in the end of the first half. Leandro Trossard´s cross was deflected from Mohamed Salisu´s foot into Southampton´s own net.
The Saints didn´t let the setback bring them down. In the added time of the first half the visitors were awarded a freekick from dangerous position.
Ward-Prowse´s shot curled through the Brighton´s wall to the bottom corner with style.
Ward-Prowse punished Brighton again at the start of the second half. The midfielder picked up Oriol Romeu´s pass from 20 yards and slotted a low shot into the bottom corner making it 2-2.
Southampton had fought themselves back after being two goals down.
The fast-paced game did hit its climax in the final 15 minutes of the game. On the 78. minute Pascal Gross smashed the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards taking Brighton again on front. The celebrations were cut short after the goal was ruled out after the VAR-check. Gross was offside when picking up the forward pass.
No more goals were scored, and the eventful afternoon finished 2-2 with the south siders sharing the points.
Brighton-manager Graham Potter was happy of his side´s performance, but the first goal from Saints left him frustrated.
“I was frustrated with the first goal from them. It was a bit of a ball from nothing, didn’t defend it that well, maybe a slight push on Marc.
“We didn´t defend properly and gave a free kick in the worst place you could possibly give it.
Potter also admitted that Tariq Lamptey wasn´t ready to play yet today.
“This game came too soon for him and hope he recovers in days.
Southampton-boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said that the Livramento´s injury could be a very serious one.
“It is his knee. Very frustrated and you could see it was a serious injury. We don’t know the diagnosis, but it is very serious.
“He is very down, but we all know he will come back even stronger.”
