Table toppers Brighton & Hove Albion beat Manchester United 2-1 on Saturday to stay perfect in the English Premier League after Joao Pedro scored a late winner in the fifth minute of added time.
Brighton took the lead when Kaoru Mitoma received the ball on the left flank before his cross went through United’s defense and into the six-yard box where Danny Welbeck stuck a leg out to score against his former club.
Amad Diallo drew United level at the hour mark when he was put through on goal and the 22-year-old cut inside his marker before shooting, with the ball being deflected past keeper Jason Steele and into the net.
Photo: Reuters
With the game seemingly heading for a draw, Brighton’s pressure paid off when Simon Adingra found space in the box and chipped the ball over United’s defenders to an unmarked Pedro who headed home to give them their second win of the season.
Elsewhere, Manchester City scored a flurry of three goals in less than four minutes to beat newly-promoted Ipswich Town 4-1, roaring back from a shock start at Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland netted a hat-trick while Kevin De Bruyne added one and City stayed perfect in their quest for a fifth consecutive league title, while Ipswich remain without a point.
Photo: AFP
Sammie Szmodics fired Ipswich to a surprise lead in the seventh minute when Ben Johnson sent him in behind City’s defense, and Ederson mishandled his shot which rolled into the net.
The visitors’ goal woke the proverbial sleeping giant with City netting three in the span of 191 seconds, sparked by Haaland’s penalty kick in the 12th minute.
De Bruyne capitalized on an error by keeper Arijanet Muric to put City ahead, and Haaland earned his second of the afternoon when De Bruyne chipped a ball over the back line and the big Norwegian beat Muric to it. Haaland completed his hat-trick with a rocket from just outside the 18-yard box in the 88th minute.
Meanwhile, Second-half goals by Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey earned Arsenal earn a hard-fought 2-0 win at Aston Villa as Mikel Arteta’s side continued their perfect start to the Premier League season.
Villa did the double over Arsenal last season, defeats that ultimately cost the Gunners the title, and had plenty of chances to make it three successive wins at Villa Park, striker Ollie Watkins missing two gilt-edged openings.
However, Arsenal weathered the storm, taking the lead in the 67th minute through substitute Trossard, before Partey made sure of the three points 10 minutes later.
LA LIGA
Reuters, BARCELONA
Striker Robert Lewandowski smashed home a rebound to earn Barcelona a 2-1 win against Athletic Bilbao in an absorbing LaLiga clash on Saturday.
A deflected strike by teenager Lamine Yamal in the 24th minute gave Barca the lead. The visitors leveled in the 42nd minute when Oihan Sancet struck home from the penalty spot after defender Pau Cubarsi fouled Alex Berenguer inside the box.
Lewandowski scored the winner in the 75th minute from a rebound by the goalkeeper, striking a first-touch effort to give Barca their second win in as many games.
Barcelona are level with Celta Vigo at the top the LaLiga standings with six points. Athletic are 15th with one point from two matches.
LIGUE 1
AP, PARIS
Monaco secured their second straight win in the French league on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Lyon.
Both goals came in the second half from two young talents, 19-year-old Eliesse Ben Seghir of Morocco and 20-year-old Lamine Camara of Senegal.
Camara got his second yellow card deep in stoppage time, but Monaco held on to their lead.
Lyon remain goalless after losing again. The frustration of the fans was clear as boos echoed through the Parc OL stadium at the final whistle.
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