Southampton were denied their second Premier League victory of the season after having Cameron Archer’s tap-in ruled out for offside in their 1-1 draw at Brighton.
The Saints thought they had produced a stunning eight-minute turnaround in the second half when Archer scored but, when the goal was ruled out on-field, the VAR confirmed the decision after a four-and-a-half-minute check deeming the offside Adam Armstrong had interfered as the ball flashed past him in the area.
The PGMOL Match Centre said Armstrong was believed “to be impacting [Bart] Verbruggen’s ability to play the ball” which Southampton boss Russell Martin disagreed with.
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Cameron Archer’s goal is chalked off after a lengthy VAR check as Southampton face Brighton in the Premier League.
“If we are disallowing the goal because the goalkeeper is impeded by Adam Armstrong or affected,” said Martin, “then it is a clear and obvious error because he hasn’t moved and he can’t get the cross and it goes behind Adam. So, that’s a bad decision.”
Sky Sports’ Alan Smith said: “That is a controversial call. It is a marginal one, but when Armstrong makes that movement towards the ball, the Saints are done.”
Southampton were forced to settle for a draw and remain rock bottom, four points adrift of safety, while Brighton move up to second, going above Manchester City on head-to-head record.
The hosts Brighton were dominant from the start with Kaoru Mitoma wasting a good chance after stealing the ball off Yukinari Sugawara before Georginio Rutter shot wide and then hit the left post.
Danny Welbeck headed over but Mitoma showed him how to do it, arriving ahead of the sleeping Sugawara to nod Tariq Lamptey’s cross past goalkeeper Joe Lumley, who was making his Premier League debut.
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Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma scores against Southampton in the Premier League.
Southampton’s only significant chance of the first half came when Archer side-footed wide, but the visitors scored with their first shot on target in the 59th minute. Downes, who was fortunate to still be on the pitch for persistent fouling, smashed home after the ball fell perfectly into his path from Armstrong’s blocked shot.
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Flynn Downes hammers home to bring Southampton level against Brighton in the Premier League!
The equaliser rocked Brighton and soon Southampton were ahead until the VAR confirmed the assistant referee’s decision to chalk off Archer’s strike.
Martin: The game is about fun and enjoyment
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Russell Martin says there is still a problem with VAR in the Premier League as the interpretation of a penalty situation can still be human error.
Southampton boss Russell Martin said:
“We’ve had that decision at Wolves, that decision at Liverpool, now this one, and I don’t want to be here being a moany git about decisions. It’s a tough job, but I thought VAR was brought in to help that.
“If it takes that long and takes the fun out of celebrating, which you can never celebrate properly, then what are we doing? The game is about fun and enjoyment. It’s either there for all the decisions or it’s not. Offside is still interpretation.”
On performance: “We showed a few clips at half-time and asked them for a bit more aggression, more belief in what they’re doing and they showed that. I’m really proud of them for that. It was a tough play to come, a team that’s gone second tonight.
“We were so good. I thought in the second half, really good, we scored two brilliant goals. One’s been disallowed but I thought it was toe-to-toe with them and we were every bit as good as them in the second half for sure.”
Hurzeler: We have to apologise for second half
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Following a 1-1 draw against Southampton, Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler says only deserved a point.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said:
“We shouldn’t focus on the results too early in the season, we should focus more on the performances and this was not our best performance.
“We have to be honest to ourselves that this can’t be our identity, this can’t be our style of play, how we want to present also to our home fans. We have to apologise for the second half and that’s something where we have to be very critical of ourselves.”
On Flynn Downes not being sent off: “That’s exactly what I said at half-time and then he makes another foul. There’s no explanation for that and that’s something that changes the game. It changes the game in Bournemouth [when Brighton’s Baleba was sent off], in the other direction. Today, it could change the game in our direction, but you have to be very careful what you say here in England because also my yellow card is something that I can’t understand and I have to adapt to this here.”
On confrontation with Russell Martin at full-time: “For me, it’s just important to have respect for each other.
“It’s so important to respect each other, how you talk to each other on the sideline, I think that’s the most important and that’s how I get educated.”
On VAR decision: “I didn’t see it so I have to have a look again and then I can say more about that.”
