Brighton 1-1 Spurs - report from Amex Stadium

Harry Kane's fierce strike at the start of the second half was cancelled out straight away by a Pascal Gross penalty as we were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Tuesday night.

On the one-year anniversary of the Seagulls' promotion to the top flight, they produced a hard-working display to keep us at bay in the first half before ensuring there was no way through for the majority of the second with some organised defending, restricting us to only the occasional cross as the spaces just wouldn't open up.

Heung-Min Son had a good chance in first-half added time, but home goalkeeper Mat Ryan made a superb low save down to his left.

Hugo Lloris got a hand to Gross' penalty after Kane finished off some good work by Son, but the swift equaliser gave Brighton real belief that they could take something from the game.

We've enjoyed a tremendous record against newly-promoted sides in recent years, but the closest we went to a late winner was when substitute Erik Lamela wriggled half a yard away from his marker, only to see Ryan palm away his rising shot.

The result sees us move eight points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea, who face a tricky trip to Burnley on Thursday night in their game in hand.

Team News

Centre-back Toby Alderweireld came in for his first Premier League start since October as one of six changes made to the team that lost at home to Manchester City on Saturday. Serge Aurier replaced Kieran Trippier at right-back, Victor Wanyama and Moussa Sissoko came in for Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele in midfield while Lucas Moura and Son were named in place of Lamela and Dele Alli further forward. It was a first Premier League start for Lucas, while goalkeeper Lloris made his 250th appearance for us in all competitions.

Key Action

  SAVES: RYAN BUSY IN FIRST-HALF STOPPAGE TIME - 40+8-40+9mins  
Brighton did a good job of containing us throughout the first period while occasionally testing Lloris, although Lewis Dunk's header from a corner was the keeper's biggest test on 18 minutes and it resulted in a relatively routine stop. Lucas looked a threat with the ball at his feet but it wasn't until first-half added time that we really troubled Brighton goalkeeper Ryan. First, Christian Eriksen teed up Kane to drive a low free-kick at goal that Ryan stopped low down before he pulled off a superb save in the closing seconds, sprawling down to his left to claw away Son's shot from inside the box after Kane held up Lucas' forward pass on the 18-yard line and fed the South Korean forward.

   
  Above: Victor Wanyama on the ball.

  GOAL: BRIGHTON 0-1 SPURS - HARRY KANE - 48mins  
Our opener in the first few minutes of the second half arrived thanks to Son's desire to get hold of a loose ball down the right flank and keep it in as he skipped along the byline before committing Ryan at the near post and laying it back for Kane to blast home from 10 yards, with the arriving Bruno unable to keep it out.

  GOAL: BRIGHTON 1-1 SPURS - PASCAL GROSS (PENALTY) - 50mins  
Just 18 seconds after the restart, Brighton had a chance to draw level as Aurier was adjudged to have tripped Jose Izquierdo from behind and referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot. Lloris got his right hand to Gross' penalty but couldn't prevent it from finding the bottom corner.

  SAVE: RYAN ROUTINE STOP FROM LAMELA - 88mins  
Brighton restricted us to only the odd half-chance in the latter stages. Defender Shane Duffy was visibly relieved to see his toe-poke from Eriksen's angled drive zip wide of his own far post on 73 minutes before the Dane's pass forward broke for Lamela with two minutes of normal time left but, as he fractionally evaded his marker, his rising shot was kept out comfortably by Ryan.

Mauricio Pochettino said

"It was a very difficult game. Brighton always make it difficult at home and we knew about that. The first half was even, we were better in the second half but it was a little disappointing to concede a goal in such a way after we scored. Then we dominated but with a lack of aggression in the final third and not enough clear-cut chances to win the game."

 
Toby Alderweireld said

"It was difficult. They defended very well, they were compact and we tried to break them down. In the end, I think we deserved the win. We had some little chances and if Coco (Erik Lamela) had a little more luck (with his chance towards the end) we might have come away with three points, but we did everything we could."

Match Data

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-4-1-1): Ryan. Bruno (c), Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Knockaert, Kayal, Stephens, Izquierdo (March 77), Gross, Murray (Ulloa 74). Subs: Krul, Schelotto, Goldson, Locadia, Baldock.

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Lloris (c), Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Wanyama, Sissoko (Dembele 74), Eriksen, Lucas (Lamela 74), Son, Kane (Llorente 85). Vorm, Trippier, Foyth, Dier.

Goals: Brighton - Gross 50 (pen); Spurs - Kane 48.

Yellow card: Brighton - Dunk 11.

Referee: Kevin Friend.

Attendance: 30,440.

Up Next

Attentions now turn back to the FA Cup and a big semi-final clash with Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday, kick-off 5.15pm.