Deniz Undav v Newcastle voted Brighton Own Goal of the Season

June 16, 2023June 16, 2023 WeAreBrighton.com 0 Comments

Six high quality own goals scored in 2022-23 meant that for the first time in five years, Own Goal of the Season returned to the WAB Brighton Awards with Deniz Undav the winner for his excellent header away at Newcastle United.

The visit to Saudi-upon-Tyne was an interesting evening all around for Undav. Not only did he put the ball past Jason Steele, but he also scored at the right end with a lovely one-on-one finish beyond Nick Pope.

Between those two strikes, it was Undav who conceded a needless free kick in a dangerous position on the stroke of half time which led to the Toon scoring their second of the night. Kieran Trippier delivered and a certain Dan Burn beat Steele with a powerful header.

The all round entertainment provided by Undav in the 4-1 defeat to Newcastle was also nominated for WAB Brighton Flair Moment of the Season, meaning the German striker could complete an impressive double to go with Own Goal of the Season. Two awards for just 90 minutes work would be some going.

Just like with Burn’s header, a Trippier set piece was involved in teeing up Undav for his moment of glory. The England right back whipped an in-swinging right footed corner into the box with pace and power.

Three crimson-shirted Albion players were all lined up to try and deal with it; Undav at the front of the queue followed by Moises Caicedo and Danny Welbeck.

Undav jumped and produced a technically perfect flicked head. The only problem of course being it was going the wrong way, arrowing into the top corner with Steele nothing more than a helpless observer.

Whether Caicedo or Welbeck would have dealt with Trippier’s delivery any better had it reached them rather than Undav is up for debate. There was such confusion in the aftermath that the cameras initially zoomed in on Caicedo.

TV knew Newcastle had taken the lead via an own goal, they just did not know which Seagull had provided it. Replays soon cleared up the mystery and revealed the glorious finish applied by the Albion’s kebab-loving forward.

May proved to be a good month for Brighton players putting the ball into the wrong net as 10 days before Undav at Newcastle, Steele provided the runner up in Own Goal of the Season.

The Albion were already 2-0 down at home to Everton with only 30 minutes played when Steele provided the moment which perfectly summed up the shambles that was a 5-1 defeat to the side 19th in the Premier League table, and who had scored just 16 times in the previous five months.

There seemed little danger when Dwight McNeil pulled a cross back from the left channel until Steele somehow managed to deflect the ball into his own net with and outstretched foot.

To make the whole sequence of events even more bizarre, the official Brighton website went all North Korea in its reporting of the truth by attempting to claim it was a good finish by McNeil.

The BBC, Sky Sports, every newspaper and radio station covering the game and the whole 31,567 ~~crowd in attendance at the Amex~~ tickets sold knew otherwise.

Third place in Own Goal of the Season went to a player with two victories to his name in this category from just five previous contests. A man who is the proud joint-holder of the record for most own goals in a Premier League season.

We are of course referring to Brighton captain Lewis Dunk, who provided a brilliant finish beyond Robert Sanchez at Fulham in August to round off a pretty horrific 30 seconds of football for the Albion.

It all came from a Brighton corner. Pascal Gross delivered and Fulham cleared to the edge of the box to Pervis Estupinan. The Ecuadorian left back had a bit of time but a horrific piece of control saw him surrender possession to Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Estupinan chopped down Mitrovic in an attempt to win the ball back. Mitrovic had already released a pass and with Fulham now breaking, referee Thomas Bramall played a good advantage.

Less than 10 seconds later and the Cottagers had swept up the other end, Andreas Pereira was crossing into the box and Dunk came sliding in to try and avert the danger.

All he succeeded in doing was sending the ball straight past Sanchez advancing from his line to collect. Dunk ended up face down on the turf, Sanchez was bewildered and Fulham led 2-0.