Brentford 4 Brighton 2: Mbeumo nets brace as Bees return to winning ways at the Gtech | OneFootball

Bryan Mbeumo scored a brace as Brentford beat Brighton and Hove Albion 4-2 in a pulsating Premier League game at Gtech Community Stadium.

The Cameroon international got the Bees off to a perfect start in the west London sunshine, beating Bart Verbruggen inside the opening 10 minutes, before Danny Welbeck headed home an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

Mbeumo scored his second of the afternoon, and 18th of the Premier League season, when his curling effort found the bottom corner three minutes after the restart.

The forward set up Yoane Wissa for the west Londoners’ third, before Brighton forward João Pedro was sent off for striking Nathan Collins in an off-the-ball incident.

Substitute Kaoru Mitoma’s deft finish gave the 10-man visitors hope of a comeback, but captain Christian Nørgaard’s 95th-minute header put the result beyond doubt.

Thomas Frank made two changes to the side that lined up against Arsenal the previous weekend.

Full-back Michael Kayode was rewarded for his impressive performance in the 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium with a first start, while Yehor Yarmoliuk came into midfield. Kristoffer Ajer and Vitaly Janelt dropped to the bench.

The first chance of note fell to Brentford. Kevin Schade latched on to Keane Lewis-Potter’s through ball and delivered a low cross from the left, which found Wissa in the centre of the box. The forward’s first-time effort was well saved by a sprawling Verbruggen, before Nørgaard fired over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Then came the Bees’ opener. Lewis-Potter played a one-two with Mikkel Damsgaard and showed exceptional technique and vision to find Mbeumo on the shoulder of the last defender. The Cameroonian raced towards goal, lifted his head and stroked beyond the on-rushing Verbruggen to give his side an early lead.

Yankuba Minteh turned João Pedro’s inviting cross narrowly wide, while goalkeeper Mark Flekken made up for a loose pass forward by swiping the ball away at Welbeck’s feet, as the Seagulls went in search of a leveller.

Mbeumo then looked to turn provider, delivering an in-swinging cross from the right, but Schade’s header lacked power and was comfortably held by Verbruggen.

Welbeck was teed up by Pervis Estupiñán but pulled wide from the left of the box under pressure from Sepp van den Berg. Seconds later, Mbeumo’s teasing ball was headed away by a back-tracking Lewis Dunk.

Brighton made it 1-1 just before the break. Minteh laid the ball off to Mats Wieffer who crossed immediately from the right of the area, and Welbeck flicked a header past Flekken and into the corner.

The Bees started the second half with purpose. Mbeumo worked some space for a cross in a crowded box and Schade glanced wide of Verbruggen’s right post.

Frank’s side kept their foot on the accelerator. Moments later, a poor goal kick gifted Brentford possession high up the pitch.

Wissa, picked out by Damsgaard, rolled the ball back for Mbeumo on the right of the area, and the forward took a touch to set himself before curling into the far corner.

Roles were reversed for the west Londoners’ third. On 58 minutes, Mbeumo advanced down the right and cut the ball back for Wissa, and the forward’s shot took a deflection off Dunk on its way into the net.

Brighton were reduced to 10 players on the hour, as João Pedro was dismissed for lashing out at Collins.

Schade then capitalised on a loose back pass and rounded Verbruggen but could only find the side netting from a tight angle.

The away side rallied despite their numerical disadvantage. Substitute Mitoma missed a golden chance on 79 minutes, lifting Wieffer’s cross over the bar from the centre of the box.

But the winger wasn’t to be denied. Two minutes later, Mitoma raced on to Jack Hinshelwood’s through ball and slotted home to set up a tense finish at the Gtech.

Nørgaard secured Brentford’s victory in the fifth minute of stoppage time, heading in Mathias Jensen’s free-kick from the right.

A nasty clash of heads between Jan Paul van Hecke and Yunus Konak led to a long break in play, with referee Tim Robinson blowing for full-time following 20 additional minutes.

Brentford: Flekken; Kayode (Ajer 66), Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter (Henry 76); Nørgaard, Yarmoliuk (Jensen 76), Damsgaard (Janelt 87); Schade (Konak 87, Nunes 90+16), Wissa, Mbeumo

Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Mee

Brighton and Hove Albion: Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Dunk, van Hecke (Cashin 90+20), Estupiñán; Baleba (Gómez 77); Minteh (March 65), Wieffer (Adingra 89), O’Riley (Mitoma 65), João Pedro; Welbeck (Ayari 77)

Subs not used: Steele, Gruda, Tasker

Attendance: 17,083

Frank: We were back to our best

Thomas Frank praised his side following an entertaining 4-2 victory over Brighton at Gtech Community Stadium.

“It was a fantastic and very important win," said Frank.

"I’m very happy that we were back to our best at the Gtech. We were such a threat going forward, so dangerous and just a pleasure to watch. The first 15 minutes of both halves was fantastic to watch.

“The only negative is that I would have loved for us to have managed the last 30 minutes better and controlled it even more.

“It’s the Premier League, it’s not that easy to be 11 against 10, so I’m just happy we got over the line."

A nasty clash of heads saw Yunus Emre Konak and Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke replaced following a lengthy stoppage at the end of the game.

“Yunus is good," Frank confirmed. "Van Hecke I think is even more important. I think he’s good as well. I haven’t spoken to the Brighton guys but we’ve had a glimpse of him and he was awake, so we hope everything is good with him."

Mbeumo: We stuck to the game plan and got the goals

Bryan Mbeumo shared his thoughts after his brace helped Brentford secure their first home Premier League win since December.

“We’re really happy because we haven’t won for eight games here,” said Mbeumo.

“I think it’s really important to win at home. The more points we can get at home, the better.

“We spoke about it before the game saying that we needed to win today.

“It was really hard to concede before the end of the first half but we stuck together. We stuck to the game plan and got the goals.”