“We lost because….”- Brighton midfielder Matt O’Riley identifies reason why Brighton failed to beat Leicester
Matt O’Riley Admits Missed Chances Cost Brighton in Frustrating Leicester Draw
Brighton midfielder Matt O’Riley admitted he was among those who lacked a clinical edge in their 2-2 draw against Leicester City.
For the second time this season, the Seagulls failed to hold onto a lead against the Foxes, despite going ahead twice through Joao Pedro’s penalties on Saturday (April 12).
Leicester, who hadn’t scored in the Premier League since January, managed to hit back on both occasions with goals from Stephy Mavididi and Caleb Okoli, exposing defensive vulnerabilities in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side.
O’Riley, who hit the post and missed a golden opportunity with a header, reflected on the game with frustration.
“It’s really frustrating — we wasted a lot of chances, myself included,” he said. “I kept trying to time my runs into the box, and I definitely should have scored the header in the first half. The others were more difficult, but that one I have to take.”
Despite strong starts to both halves, Brighton failed to capitalize on their momentum and allowed Leicester back into the game.
“We just stopped playing in the last 30 minutes,” O’Riley added. “I’ll need to watch it back, but it felt like we stopped showing for the ball, lost our courage in possession, and didn’t counter-press the way we had been.
“We got passive — on and off the ball — and in this league, if you drop off like that, you get punished. Leicester earned their point in the end.”
The result was another setback for Brighton’s European ambitions. After back-to-back defeats to Aston Villa and Crystal Palace and an FA Cup exit to Nottingham Forest, Albion are now winless in their last three league games.
Currently ninth in the Premier League, Fabian Hürzeler’s team could slip to tenth if Bournemouth defeat Fulham on Monday. With six games left, their push for a European spot is under real pressure.
