The night Europe came to Sussex: Brighton 2-3 AEK Athens photos
In true Albion style, the club’s debut match in European football ended up being a bit of a disappointment in terms of the result. But as these photos show, it was still a cracking night at the Amex even though the final score ended Brighton 2-3 AEK Athens.
The stadium was rocking throughout an historic occasion with 1,500 fanatical supporters of the Greek champions playing their part in the South East corner.
With pyrotechnics going off and a sea of blue and white flags waving, the players entered the pitch. The Europa League anthem played, there was a team photo and then it was into battle.
It seemed somewhat apt that most of the game was played out in torrential rain. This was the sort of weather Brighton fans had to suffer on what felt like a weekly basis during the Withdean Years, watching some pretty dreadful at times lower league football at an athletics ground without a roof.
Sitting inside a state-of-the-art stadium, relatively dry whilst the rain fell watching the Albion take on AEK Athens in the Europa League was another one of those pinch-yourself moments, to go with the first game at the Amex and the club’s Premier League bow amongst others.
Things did not get off to the best start against AEK when Djibril Sidibe headed the visitors into an 11th minute lead following some terrible marking from a corner.
Joao Pedro equalised from the penalty spot having initially been booked for diving by Estonian referee Kristo Tohver before VAR intervened.
AEK retook the lead just before half time when Brighton were again sloppy picking up from a set piece. Mijat Gacinovic took advantage this time, turning in a free kick.
The Albion’s second equaliser remarkably came from a repeat of their first; Pedro went down in the box, Mr Tohver waved play on only to be sent to the screen to review his decision. Pedro subsequently scored his second of the night.
There were six minutes remaining when AEK found what proved to be the winner. Substitute Tariq Lamptey slipped, the visitors broke and the wonderfully named Ezequiel Ponce made it 3-2.
If you have any photos you would like included in our Brighton 2-3 AEK Athens gallery, please e-mail them to wearebrighton@hotmail.co.uk or tweet them to us @wearebrighton
