In a tense battle at the Amex Stadium, Aston Villa's Champions League hopes took a hit as they succumbed to a late 1-0 defeat against Brighton.
According to a report by Flashscore, the match was rife with VAR controversy and missed opportunities, making it a nail-biter until the final whistle.
Brighton started strong, with Simon Adingra testing Villa's keeper Robin Olsen early on. Villa suffered a blow as Morgan Rogers was forced off with an injury, adding to their mounting injury list. Olsen, standing in for the injured Emiliano Martínez, made crucial saves to keep Villa in the game, denying Pascal Groß just before halftime.
The second half saw Villa pushing forward, with Matty Cash narrowly missing a chance from distance. Olsen continued to impress, thwarting Pedro's one-on-one attempt. Villa thought they had taken the lead through Groß, but VAR intervened, ruling it out for offside. Villa's own goal was disallowed shortly after.
Brighton capitalized on a late penalty, with Ezri Konsa conceding a foul in the box. Though Olsen guessed the direction correctly, he couldn't prevent João Pedro's rebound header, sealing Brighton's victory.
The result leaves Villa's Champions League aspirations uncertain, while Brighton edges closer to the Premier League's top half. With Spurs lurking just behind, Villa faces a tense battle to secure their position in the top four.
Check out the latest English Premier League Table below:
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