Brighton & Hove Albion boost European hopes with Danny Welbeck’s winner against Bournemouth
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Brighton & Hove Albion's Danny Welbeck scores their second goal in the 2-1 Premier League win over Bournemouth.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck always believes that he can make a difference.
On Feb 25, he proved his point as he made an instant impact off the bench by scoring the winner in his side’s 2-1 English Premier League home victory over Bournemouth, as both sides chase European football for next season.
Welbeck had only been on the field for three minutes when he ran on to Georginio Rutter’s through ball and placed his shot beyond goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and in off the post in the 75th minute.
“You always have to believe you can make an impact,” the former Manchester United forward told TNT Sports.
“Watching the game I was analysing where I could make a difference and when Georginio picked the ball up in midfield, I knew he had the ability to slip it through.”
Joao Pedro gave Brighton a 12th-minute lead with a penalty but Bournemouth, who could have closed in on the top four with a win, levelled just past the hour with a superb curling effort from Justin Kluivert.
The 34-year-old Welbeck enjoyed a hot scoring streak in October but had not registered in his last 13 appearances for Brighton. But he chose the perfect time to end that drought and seal the win for his team.
“We worked our socks off and that’s what’s required in this league,” he added.
“We have a nice run going now and every week we have to just focus on the next game.”
On Welbeck’s performance, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler said: “He’s a cool man. The public and media always judge strikers by scoring. It’s certainly important to have strikers who can find the net, but we know the quality Danny brings to the team.
“So, credit goes to the player because I didn’t score myself. When you have someone like Welbeck, you’re always contemplating the right time to bring him on.”
Brighton’s fourth win in a row in all competitions lifted them to eighth on 43 points from 27 games and firmly in the hunt for a European place.
Bournemouth’s third defeat in four league games left them in seventh, above Brighton on goal difference.
It proved a frustrating night for Cherries manager Andoni Iraola, as for the second successive game, his side squandered the chance to move into the Champions League qualifying places.
“We were as good if not better than Brighton but it’s about scoring and in that they were better than us,” he said.
“Probably my biggest regret is how we defended the second goal.
“At the end, when you lose, you have to make these things count and I think they’ve been better in the two boxes at the end. This is what counts in football.”
Both clubs switch their focus to the FA Cup fifth round at the weekend, with Bournemouth hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton away to Newcastle United. REUTERS, AFP
