Brighton players score goals and win games in March internationals
Brighton players put their desperate Premier League form behind them in the first round of March internationals by doing things which have become alien to them under Graham Potter such as winning games and scoring goals.
One of those players provided a potential glimpse into what we can expect next season. Kaoru Mitoma has been enjoying himself at Union Saint-Gilloise throughout 2021-22 as he attempts to qualify for a British Work Permit.
Playing regularly for Japan will help his cause and his second full cap for the Samurai Blue arrived from the bench away against Australia on Thursday.
In under 10 minutes, Mitoma scored twice to give Japan a 2-0 victory in Sydney. The result ensures that Mitoma and his nation qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, whilst Australia are left facing a playoff against the fifth-ranked team from South America if they are to make it to the finals.
Lots of Brighton fans were left giddy by the fact that both Mitoma’s goals came past former Albion goalkeeper Maty Ryan, including one where the ball squirmed excruciatingly away from the Socceroos’ captain.
Mitoma’s showing highlighted the sort of finishing and willingness to run at players that he will bring to the Amex when he is allowed to enter the country legally.
Potter’s squad are seriously short of that sort of skill – although as he somebody wisely posted on Twitter in response to the goals, the Albion will no doubt coach that out of Mitoma in favour of sideways passes and refusing to shoot within a few months of his arrival in England.
Joining Mitoma and Japan at the World Cup will be Ecuador, who had their place confirmed despite a 3-1 defeat to Paraguay.
Moises Caicedo did not feature. Jeremy Sarmiento came on at half time despite not playing for the Albion since his return from three months out injured.
Ecuador were 2-0 behind when Sarmiento was introduced. He had little chance to make an impact before Paraguay made it 3-0 nine minutes after the restart.
Things did at least improve for Ecuador after that. They enjoyed their best spell in the final 30 minutes with Sarmiento on the pitch.
He helped earn a couple of free kicks whilst carrying the ball dangerously into Paraguay territory. Again, Brighton will soon coach that out of him.
Sticking in South America. Alexis Mac Allister was rewarded for being one of the few Brighton players to look decent in this terrible run of form with a recall to the Argentina starting XI for their first game of the March internationals against Venezuela.
He played for 70 minutes as an attacking midfielder, just behind a certain Lionel Messi as Argentina secured a comfortable 3-0 victory.
It was 1-0 when Mac Allister was replaced by Angel Di Maria, who scored nine minutes later and then teed up Messi three minutes after that.
Zambia have had a busy set of March internationals, playing on Thursday and Sunday. Enock Mwepu scored a penalty in the first of those games, a 3-1 friendly win over Congo in which he played for an hour. Like Sarmineto, Mwepu is returning from a stretch on the sidelines.
The Computer came off at half time in Sunday’s 2-1 friendly defeat to Benin. The score was locked at 1-1 when he departed, Benin going onto score an 83rd minute winner via Tosin Aiyegun.
Into Europe and Andi Zeqiri was a second half substitute for Switzerland against England at Wembley. The Three Lions ran out 2-1 winners thanks to a late Harry Kane penalty with Ben White playing the full 90 minutes.
The Albion’s record sale came close to opening his international account. A trademark second half stride out of defence saw him get to within shooting range, taking an effort from 30 yards which was just over the bar. Imagine a Brighton player shooting from 30 yards at the minute…
Leo Ostigard was the only one of the Albion’s European contingent to win. He helped Norway to victory and a clean sheet against Slovakia. Erling Haaland and Arsenal midfielder Martin Ødegaard scored the goals.
Jakub Moder found himself heading north of the border to take on Scotland in a hastily-arranged friendly. The Scots had been due to face Ukraine in a World Cup playoff but that game has been pushed back until June because of Russia’s illegal invasion and war.
The Tartan Army were denied a seventh consecutive victory by a controversial last minute penalty as it finished 1-1 at Hampden Park.
Home goalkeeper Craig Gordon was judged to have upended Poland substitute Krzysztof Piatek, although replays showed little to no contact.
Piatek dusted himself down and beat Gordon from 12 yards. It was only Poland’s second shot on target all game, so Moder must have felt right at home as Brighton have created very little in this run of six consecutive defeats.
Moder completed 90 minutes on the left of a front three, potentially giving Potter another position to try him in at some point over the remaining nine games of the Premier League season.
Four Albion players could have been involved as the Republic of Ireland drew 2-2 with Belgium. Aaron Connolly had been recalled to the Irish squad for the March internationals, where he joined Brighton midfielder on-loan at West Brom Jayson Molumby and Shane Duffy. Leandro Trossard meanwhile is on duty with Belgium.
Only Duffy featured in the 2-2 draw at the Aviva Stadium. Molumby and Trossard were unused substitutes and Connolly did not make the bench.
Duffy produced some important blocks against a dangerous Belgium front line, including Michy Batshuayi and substitute Christian Benteke.
The Albion defender even attempted to tee himself up for an overhead kick, which should be guaranteeing him a spot in Potter’s starting XI against Norwich City at the weekend. Goodness knows we need some sort of entertainment at the Amex.
Perhaps that might be provided by Jason Steele? There must now be a strong chance that the Albion’s second choice goalkeeper will take over from Robert Sanchez against the Canaries after Sanchez withdrew from the Spain squad with Covid-19.
It is never dull with Steele in goal; he either looks world class or like a bloke who has won a cornflake competition to be a Premier League goalkeeper for the day. Interesting times ahead for Brighton as they look to avoid seven defeats in a row.
