Brighton takes full win against Manchester United via penalty in 99th minute

In the FA Cup semifinals, Brighton & Hove Albion failed to beat Manchester from 11 yards. But Thursday night in the league they did. A silly handball by defender Luke Shaw became fatal to Dutch coach Erik ten Hag’s team. Argentine Alexis Mac Allister shot the home club to a 1-0 victory in the 99th minute.

It was the second meeting in a short time between the number eight and four ranked sides in the Premier League. More than a week and a half ago, they faced each other in the FA Cup semifinals.

At Wembley, they then failed to score in regular playing time and extension, after which Manchester United took the penalties better. After six hit penalties on both sides, it was first Solomon March who missed for Brighton & Hove Albion. Then Swede Victor Lindelöf shot Ten Hag’s team to the final.

Earlier this season, Brighton & Hove Albion ruined his debut as head coach of the Mancunians by winning 1-2 at Old Trafford, thanks to two goals from Pascal Gross.

This German midfielder, already good for six goals against Manchester, was missing with “a slight injury,” as was Joël Veltman, who sat out the 6-0 win against Wolverhampton with a hamstring issue. Teammate Jean Paul van Hecke started on the bench, as did Wout Weghorst and Tyrell Malacia at United. Only Weghorst played the last 10 minutes of the game.

Brighton are having a good season and with six games to go still have the fifth spot in their sights that entitles them to the group stage of Europa League. Manchester is aiming for a place among the first four, good for participation in the Champions League.

The game was barely underway when both teams had already killed off a life-size chance to open the scoring. For Manchester, Antony slid the ball wide, then on behalf of the home club, Mitoma shot the ball into the face of goalkeeper De Gea after a wrong pass from Lindelöf.

Mitoma was by far the most active and dangerous man in Italian coach Robert De Zerbi’s team. Ten minutes after halftime he broke out on the left, but produced an odd little seesaw instead of taking full advantage. Casemiro popped hard over from distance for the home club midway through the second half.

Ex-Ajacied Antony escaped red when he went to play for his own judge after an ungiven free kick and lashed out at Mac Allister’s ankles. Referee Marriner miraculously kept it to a yellow card. As a precaution, Ten Hag substituted him.

Solomon March had another chance as a substitute to take revenge for the missed penalty and the cup elimination. The man of seven goals in the last 10 games shot just wide. De Gea made a fantastic save on shots by Mac Allister and Caicedo in the closing stages.

Thus, just like in the FA Cup semifinals, it seemed to end 0-0 after ninety minutes. Until well into injury time Marriner, with the help of VAR, detected a handball by Shaw, after which world champion Mac Allister delivered the verdict on Manchester United.