Brighton 1-1 Southampton: Cameron Archer goal 'controversially' ruled out after VAR check for offside on Adam Armstrong

11 天前

Brighton 1-1 Southampton: Cameron Archer goal 'controversially' ruled out after VAR check for offside on Adam Armstrong

Southampton were denied their second Premier League victory of the season after having Cameron Archer's tap-in ruled out for offside in their 1-1 draw at Brighton.

The Saints thought they had produced a stunning eight-minute turnaround in the second half when Archer scored but, when the goal was ruled out on-field, the VAR confirmed the decision after a four-and-a-half-minute check deeming the offside Adam Armstrong had interfered as the ball flashed past him in the area.

The PGMOL Match Centre said Armstrong was believed "to be impacting [Bart] Verbruggen's ability to play the ball."

Sky Sports' Alan Smith said: "That is a controversial call. It is a marginal one, but when Armstrong makes that movement towards the ball, the Saints are done."

Southampton were forced to settle for a draw and remain rock bottom, four points adrift of safety, while Brighton move up to second, going above Manchester City on head-to-head record.

The hosts Brighton were dominant from the start with Kaoru Mitoma wasting a good chance after stealing the ball off Yukinari Sugawara before Georginio Rutter shot wide and then hit the left post.

Danny Welbeck headed over but Mitoma showed him how to do it, arriving ahead of the sleeping Sugawara to nod Tariq Lamptey's cross past goalkeeper Joe Lumley, who was making his Premier League debut.

Southampton's only significant chance of the first half came when Archer side-footed wide, but the visitors scored with their first shot on target in the 59th minute. Downes, who was fortunate to still be on the pitch for persistent fouling, smashed home after the ball fell perfectly into his path from Armstrong's blocked shot.

The equaliser rocked Brighton and soon Southampton were ahead until the VAR confirmed the assistant referee's decision to chalk off Archer's strike.

More to follow.

Hurzeler: We have to apologise for second half

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said:

"We shouldn't focus on the results too early in the season, we should focus more on the performances and this was not our best performance.

"We have to be honest to ourselves that this can't be our identity, this can't be our style of play, how we want to present also to our home fans. We have to apologise for the second half and that's something where we have to be very critical of ourselves."

On Flynn Downes not being sent off: "That's exactly what I said at half-time and then he makes another foul. There's no explanation for that and that's something that changes the game. It changes the game in Bournemouth [when Brighton's Baleba was sent off], in the other direction. Today, it could change the game in our direction, but you have to be very careful what you say here in England because also my yellow card is something that I can't understand and I have to adapt to this here."

On confrontation with Russell Martin at full-time: "For me, it's just important to have respect for each other.

"It's so important to respect each other, how you talk to each other on the sideline, I think that's the most important and that's how I get educated."

On VAR decision: "I didn't see it so I have to have a look again and then I can say more about that."

Story of the match in stats... What's coming up in the Premier League? ...

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