Joao Pedro sends the Seagulls top of their group to clinch a place in Last 16 of the Europa League.
Brighton looked like they were heading for the UEFA Europa League play offs with their encounter against French giants and Group B leaders by one point heading into the night Marseille, stuck in a stale mate up until the 87th minute.
Thankfully for the Albion, they had the competition’s top goal scorer in their thrilling front line, so when Pascal Gross found the Brazilian forward Joao Pedro with less than three minutes of normal time left to play … the Amex held its breathe momentarily before erupting as the ball flew off Pedro’s right boot; emphatically finding the top corner, in front of Brighton’s North Stand.
A nerve racking first half occurred for the Seagulls as Jason Steele’s woodwork was rattled just on half time. Fortunately, Brighton’s resilient defending paid off as 18-year-old Jack Hinshelwood who slotted in at right back on the night cleared the ball up and away to safety.
De Zerbi made five changes from the 1-1 draw with Burnley on the weekend. Needing the win to top the group and avoid the play offs Brighton continued the rest of the first half on the front foot as they penetrated the Marseille midfield with their at times almost untouchable passing. Billy Gilmour and Pascal Gross were at the heart of everything good for the Seagulls on the night as they pulled the strings; dominating in the middle of the park.
The home side nevertheless failed to create their own clear-cut chances with their six shots, three on target failing to trouble Pau Lopez in the Marseille net to any severe degree.
It was the away side who had the first clear cut chance in the second half as Amine Harit’s shot poked past Jason Steele and hit the foot of the post, before deflecting off the back of Steele and towards former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. To the rescue though was Brighton’s saviour – a man who De Zerbi said “has improved more than anyone in his time” – Jan Paul Van Hecke! The Dutch defender desperately stretched out a leg to send the ball to the safety of the Amex’s relived West Stand, met by a roar around the ground.
Brighton continued to add consistent fierce pressure to the French side but were quickly running out of options and time and seemed to be running out as they appeared to be over-complicating things, making too many passes in the final third and not getting into a finishing position.
However, when the ball fell to Gross in space in and around the Marseille penalty area – it was time. The German played a perfectly timed ball which met a perfectly timed run by Joao Pedro who smashed past the Marseille goalkeeper, causing the Amex stadium to erupt.
Brighton now have to wait until February to find out where their next European adventure takes them, but whoever it will be, wherever it will be – their fans will be there in their numbers watching the greatest Brighton & Hove Albion team to ever do it.
Click here to follow all our sporting updates today.
