Danny Welbeck scored the final goal as Brighton came from two goals down to beat Tottenham 3-2 in a thrilling match at Amex Stadium.
Ange Postecoglou’s team dominated the first half, with Brennan Johnson scoring the opener on 23 minutes, making it six goals in his last six games. James Maddison added a second just before halftime with a low shot that slipped through Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen’s hands.
However, Brighton began their comeback three minutes into the second half when Yankuba Minteh capitalized on an error to score his first goal for the club. This sparked an incredible turnaround.
Georginio Rutter equalized just before the hour mark with a strong and clinical finish, then assisted Welbeck, who headed in the winner at the 66th minute. The victory ended Brighton’s four-match winless run in the Premier League, lifting them to sixth place.
Tottenham, who had been on a five-game winning streak across all competitions, suffered their third league defeat in seven games and dropped to ninth place. After the international break, Tottenham will host West Ham, while Brighton will travel to Newcastle.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Postecoglou said his players were guilty of complacency in the second half.
“Disappointing. Frustrated and absolutely gutted with that. Worst defeat since I’ve been here. Unacceptable second half. Nowhere near where we should be. We got carried away with how we were going.
“We kind of accepted our fate and it is hard to understand as we’ve not done that while I’ve been here. We paid the price. The problem is we are travelling along too smoothly. Football and life will trip you up if you get too far ahead of yourself. It is a terrible loss for us — as bad as it gets.”
Tottenham would have moved to the fringe of the top four if they had won the game. Brighton are up to sixth, two points better off. “They all go on international duty, the majority of them. They will process it individually and I will process it when everyone gets back,” Postecoglou said.
After five league games without a win, Brighton’s second-half display sent their fans into raptures.
“My team deserved to win, they worked hard and focused on the things they could control,” Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler said. “I think Tottenham always have a great start. They play with intensity and we were not ready for that.
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