Sheffield United earn 1-1 draw after Brighton reduced to 10 men
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Simon Adingra scored an early goal for Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion's winless run in the Premier League extended to six games when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sheffield United on Sunday after a red card for midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud reduced the home side to 10 men.
Simon Adingra scored an early goal for Brighton but Dahoud's sending-off for a stamp on Ben Osborn's leg allowed United to capitalise and equalise through an Adam Webster own goal.
The result left Roberto De Zerbi's side in eighth place with 19 points while the Blades are still in the relegation zone, in 19th place on five points.
"We've got to be satisfied with a point, having gone behind against a good team. Although we're disappointed with the goal," Blades manager Paul Heckingbottom told Sky Sports after they went two games without defeat for the first time this season.
"It would have been lovely to get the three points but we can't be greedy. It's something to build on." Adingra got Brighton off to a flying start in the sixth minute when the winger scored a dazzling goal after cutting through half the United team.
The 21-year-old came in from the left flank and dribbled past five defenders while playing a one-two pass with Facundo Buonanotte before he slipped the ball past a stunned Wes Foderingham in the Blades' goal.
Brighton dominated the first half but failed to build on that goal and De Zerbi decided to up the ante by bringing on Kaoru Mitoma and Joao Pedro for the second half.
But Brighton suffered a setback when Dahoud was sent off while fighting for the ball in midfield in the 69th minute and the numerical advantage put a spring in the step of the Blades.
Five minutes later, their incessant pressure paid off when Jayden Bogle drilled a cross into the box and Brighton centre back Webster turned it into his own net. "We lost two points today, we should kill the game. The possibility was there to do so and we didn't," Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross said.
Both teams had phases where they put pressure on their opponents as they searched for a winner, with Bogle coming closest when he dragged his shot wide, but they eventually had to settle for a point.
"Brighton are a very good team so it's a good point away from home, any point in the Premier League is a good point," Blades midfielder Oliver Norwood said. "They are competing in Europe, so for us to come here and get a point is good. I know they went down to 10 men but even 11 v 11 we were starting to get a grip on the game."