Brighton and Hove Albion came from behind to claim an impressive victory against Leicester City at King Power Stadium on Sunday, with a spirited performance from the Foxes not enough on Women’s Football Weekend.
The hosts remain under the interim leadership of assistant coach Jennifer Foster as an internal investigation into Willie Kirk’s conduct continues, and they’ll feel hard done by to have missed out on points given a strong second-half showing.
Jutta Rantala’s opener came ten minutes after the break, but Brighton had soared into the lead less than a quarter-hour later – and a goal apiece in the dying stages of the match saw Mikey Harris’ Seagulls head home with all three points.
As it happened
Brighton had the better chances throughout the first half of Sunday afternoon’s clash at King Power Stadium, and were perhaps unfortunate not to have headed into the interval with a comfortable lead after Veatriki Sarri failed to capitalise on a number of golden opportunities.
A win on the banks of the River Soar would see the Seagulls climb above Leicester City in the Barclays Women’s Super League standings, but that task was made more difficult at the start of the second half when Jutta Rantala latched onto a Yuka Momiki pass to bury a near-post effort past Sophie Baggaley.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe visitors did not let their heads drop, instead increasing the tempo as they searched for a leveller. Madison Haley found it merely four minutes into her substitute appearance, pouncing on a poor goalkeeping from Lize Kop to bundle home from close range.
Kop would be caught out again before the 70-minute mark, as England’s Katie Robinson danced around the Dutch international to hand Brighton the lead for the first time in this enthralling clash of two mid-table sides.
Not content with just one assist, Leicester City’s Momiki played Lena Petermann through on goal inside the final ten minutes – and while the German thought her finish into the bottom corner would seal a point for the Foxes, the ever-present Elisabeth Terland netted just seconds later to cruelly claim victory for Brighton.
Embed from Getty ImagesBrighton move ahead of Leicester City in the league table, with both sides lingering in the bottom half of the table – albeit seemingly safe from the threat of relegation.
