Controversial Iliman Ndiaye penalty earns Everton hard-fought win over Brighton | OneFootball

Controversial Iliman Ndiaye penalty earns Everton hard-fought win over Brighton | OneFootball

Icon: The Independent

The Independent

·25 January 2025

Controversial Iliman Ndiaye penalty earns Everton hard-fought win over Brighton

Article image:Controversial Iliman Ndiaye penalty earns Everton hard-fought win over Brighton

Iliman Ndiaye converted a disputed first-half penalty as Everton moved seven points clear of the Premier League relegation zone by beating Brighton 1-0.

Toffees boss David Moyes celebrated victory in his 700th top-flight match as a manager after Ndiaye capitalised when Seagulls defender Joel Veltman was punished for handball following VAR intervention.


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Albion players and fans felt Veltman was fouled as he brushed the ball behind with his right hand while going to ground under pressure from Everton substitute Beto.

Referee Tim Robinson disagreed and the ninth-placed hosts were unable to find a way back into the contest, despite relentless second-half pressure.

Everton’s success secured only a second top-flight away victory in 22 games, stretching back to December 2023, to further ease relegation fears following last weekend’s win over Tottenham.

However, a positive afternoon at the Amex Stadium was tempered by the loss of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to an early injury.

Everton travelled to Sussex buoyed by the impressive 3-2 triumph over Spurs, while Brighton were looking to build on back-to-back victories away to Ipswich and Manchester United.

Visiting manager Moyes stuck with an unchanged starting XI but was forced into an early alteration when Calvert-Lewin, who ended a 16-game goal drought by scoring against Ange Postecoglou’s side six days ago, went down holding his right hamstring and limped off to be replaced by Beto.

The 13th-minute substitution was the only significant talking point until a dour contest came to life in controversial circumstances just before the break.

Having initially awarded a corner, referee Robinson pointed to the spot after reviewing Veltman’s infringement on a pitch-side monitor.

Seagulls supporters, who thought their team should have been awarded a free-kick, jeered when the incident was shown on big screens inside the stadium before Ndiaye rolled the ball into the bottom left corner from 12 yards and was then booked for an excessive celebration after mimicking a seagull.

The 42nd-minute spot-kick was the only attempt on target of a largely forgettable half which ended with more boos for the officials from disgruntled home fans.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, whose reign began with a 3-0 victory at Goodison Park in August, responded to an uninspiring opening period by introducing Georginio Rutter in place of Brajan Gruda.

Veltman sliced well wide from the edge of the box as he sought to atone for his role in the opener before team-mate Kaoru Mitoma shot narrowly off target.

Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford then tipped over Joao Pedro’s deflected effort and Jarrad Branthwaite bravely blocked Carlos Baleba’s fizzing drive with his head, while an effort from Rutter flashed past the left post.

Everton continued to be penned back and rarely looked like doubling their lead, although Beto almost secured breathing space when he powered wide on the counter-attack.

Brighton were given a minimum eight minutes of added time to chase an equaliser.

But the away side doggedly held on to make it six points from nine since Moyes returned to Merseyside to replace Sean Dyche a fortnight ago.

Players from both teams then had to be pulled apart on the pitch during a flashpoint following the full-time whistle.

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