Albion Handed Two Goal Defeat By Leicester

Early goals either side of half time saw Brighton beaten 2-0 in their first away game of the season at Leicester.

Shinji Okazaki put the former Premier League champions ahead within the first minute of the game, with Harry Maguire adding another for Craig Shakespeare’s side early in the second half.

Albion made two changes to the starting line-up from last weekend’s loss to Manchester City at the Amex, with Jamie Murphy and Glenn Murray coming in for the injured Izzy Brown and Tomer Hemed.

However the visitors found themelves facing an uphill battle 52 seconds after kickoff when Foxes winger Riyad Mahrez found space to get a shot away in the box from right. Maty Ryan was able to make the save, however he parried the shot into the path of Okazaki, who stuck the ball into the back of an empty net.

The Seagulls found themselves under pressure once more on 17 minutes, as a mistake from Markus Suttner allowed Okazaki to lay the ball off to Jamie Vardy, however his shot was blocked by Shane Duffy.

Hughton’s side settled more into the game and had the ball in the back of the net themselves midway through the first half. Murray latched onto an overhead pass from Solly March and lofted the ball over Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal, however the linesman flagged for Offside.

Murray helped set-up Albion’s only other chance of the first half on 28 minutes. The Seagulls striker headed down Dale Stephens cross for Murphy, whose shot was blocked by Foxes captain Wes Morgan.

The home side had one more effort four minutes before the break, as Vardy was able to a cross into the near post from the right. Okazaki got his foot on the ball, but pressure from Duffy saw him put the ball wide of the post.

Leicester had the game all but sewn up ten minutes into the second half. Mahrez fired in a corner from the right and Maguire rose to head the ball home on his home debut to give the Foxes a two-goal cushion.

Hughton’s first change of the game saw Anthony Knockaert come on against his former side just after the hour mark. The Frenchman’s arrival was followed by a better spell on the ball for Albion, resulting in their first effort on goal after 72 minutes. Substitute Hemed got a shot away from 20 yards, with Schmeichel forced into a good save to his right to keep it out.

It was a comfortable first win of the season for the Foxes against an Albion side still getting to grips with life in the top flight. The Seagulls are next in action at home to Barnet in the League Cup on Tuesday August 22nd, with their next Premier League clash away at Watford next Saturday.