'Really good point - but more was possible' says Leeds United boss after draw on ground where they have never won
It may have been a disappointing draw after the number of chances created in the first hour, but Leeds United manager Daniel Farke was able to reflect on a much improved effort on his team’s Brighton bogey ground.
The 1-1 draw and fully deserved share of the spoils showed how far they have come as they were well beaten at the Amex Stadium a year ago.
And at least they scored a goal after failing to find the back of the net on their previous eight visits to a ground where the Whites have never won in 11 attempts.
Leeds were ahead for much of the contest after Jayden Bogle gave them a 15th minute lead and were unlucky when Ao Tanaka hit the crossbar and was inches offside when looking to have made it 2-0.
But Brighton hit back strongly in the last half-hour and it was no surprise that they equalised to deny the visitors a second away win of the season.
“Overall a point away at Brighton is a really good point for us, given our recent record here,” said manager Farke.
“It's been ages ago since we took something from here and even the last time we scored a goal here, so for that a point is definitely a good result.
“But more was even possible, I would say. At half-time we should have been out of sight normally, and the second half was a bit of a similar topic.
“Anton Stach normally buries the game with his chance. Ao Tanaka, we all got the feeling he buried the game but then they somehow found a line and he was one inch offside.
“Even in the final minutes, Lucas Nmecha had a great chance to win the game for us, so it was possible.
“Of course Brighton had periods in the second half when they put pressure on us and put crosses in, and we didn't allow many chances, but the pressure was mounting and if you don't bury the game, Brighton has enough quality to come back and to score a goal.”
Leeds showed they were going to be more of a threat than on their last visit to the ground right from the start as in the fifth minute Dominic Calvert-Lewin raced through only to shoot wide and see a flag go up for the tightest of offside calls.
They did take the lead when Nico Elvedi's clever turn and dink to the far post was met by a fine Calvert-Lewin header. Home keeper Bart Verbruggen got down well to save, but although Ao Tanaka's follow up shot was going wide from close range Jayden Bogle did manage to nip in to score.
Another big chance followed when Calvert-Lewin was allowed to race clear again as a flag did not go up this time, but although he rounded the keeper, defender Lewis Dunk did well to slide in to clear.
From the resulting corner Tanaka's shot from eight yards out bounced up and hit the top of the crossbar.
Brighton, relieved they were not three down, improved after their shaky start and James Trafford had to make his first save to keep out a Diego Gomez volley.
They forced more pressure towards the end of the half, but the Whites defended well to be good value for their half-time lead.
United came out strongly again at the start of the second half and spurned another great chance to double their lead as the ball fell to Stach in the box only for his shot to be saved by Verbruggen's outstretched leg. James Justin’s angled show was well saved after a sweeping move.
They thought it was 2-0 soon after when Tanaka calmly volleyed home Stach's free-kick, but he was ruled offside with his shoulder just ahead of the last defender.
This proved a turning point as Brighton threw off the shackles and gradually started turning the screw at the other end.
Gross sent a shot inches wide then Trafford tipped a shot wide from the increasingly influential Malick Yalcouye.
Charalampos Kostoulas shot straight at Trafford when well placed and the warnings were coming.
Sure enough the hosts equalised when Trafford was blocked from coming for a corner and got a bit lost as Luka Vuskovic headed home from close range.
Brighton went for a winner now and Yalcouye went on a surging run into the area only to go down under a challenge from Elvedi.
Although the Leeds defender did touch him there was not enough contact to make the home player fall down so easily and penalty claims were denied by referee Stuart Attwell – one of the precious few big decisions to go United's way from this typically inconsistent official.
The Whites were hanging on now and relieved to see Yalcouye send an effort over.
They had a big let off two minutes from time when Gross somehow fired over from just five yards out.
However, it was Leeds who went closest to winning it in added time as substitute Lukas Nmecha fired wide after making space well.
Brighton 1
(Vuskovic 71)
(Bogle 15)
Saturday, September 5, 2026
Premier League
Brighton: Verbruggen 8; Kadioglu 6 (78 Costinha 6), Vuskovic 7, Dunk 6, Boscagli 6 (93 Struijk); Gross 7, Ayari 6; Gomez 6, Yalcouye 7, De Cuyper 6 (78 David); Kostoulas 6.
Leeds: Trafford 7; Justin 7, Elvedi 8, Muharemovic 7; Bogle 7 (61 Bijol 7), Ampadu 7, Tanaka 7 (73 Wilson 6), Stach 6, Gudmundsson 7; Okafor 6 (62 Aaronson 6), Calvert-Lewin 7 (73 Nmecha 6).
Referee: Stuart Attwell 4