In a thrilling Premier League match on Thursday, Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis MacAllister scored the game-winning penalty kick in the final seconds to give his team a 1-0 victory over Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag’s team now has 63 points after the loss, which puts them in fourth place with four points on fifth-placed Liverpool but gives them a game in hand over their Merseyside rivals. Brighton rises to sixth place with 55 points.
Brighton’s victory served as some sort of retaliation for their FA Cup semifinal loss to Manchester United on penalties 11 days prior.
The home team had the majority of the ball and had a chance to score as early as the fourth minute when Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma intercepted a loose pass from Victor Lindelof, but he shot directly at David De Gea.
In spite of United’s inability to move the ball out of defence, Mitoma was a threat the entire game, creating several chances for himself before setting up Danny Welbeck, who fired high and wide from the edge of the box early in the second half.
Casemiro, a United midfielder, was fortunate not to receive a second caution after receiving one in the first half when he hacked down MacAllister on the edge of the box.
Anger over not receiving a free kick caused United winger Antony to be penalised for a tackle on MacAllister in the 68th minute, which led to an altercation with Lewis Dunk that resulted in both players receiving yellow cards.
As the clock approached 90 minutes, Brighton kept trying to score, and substitutes Solly March and MacAllister both forced outstanding saves from De Gea.
After a VAR review, it was determined that Luke Shaw had handled the ball in the box, which caused late drama. MacAllister scored the ensuing penalty kick nine minutes into stoppage time to give United the victory.
“Really happy and delighted for the performance and result,” said Brighton coach Roberto de Zerbi to Sky Sports. “There is a God of football, because today we won with a penalty, even though we should have won the (FA Cup) semi-final on penalties.”
The United defender Shaw accepted responsibility for his error, calling it a “silly error that cost us a point,” but insisted that his team was still on track to make it to the Champions League for the following season.
He told to reporter, “Teams around us are gaining points, (but) we still have a game in hand and it is in our hands.
