Brentford denied by late Everton equaliser
Brentford 2Thiago (pen, 3′, 76′)
Everton 2
Beto (26′)
Dewsbury-Hall (90’+1)
A stoppage-time equaliser by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall denied Brentford what would have been a monumental win in their pursuit of a European place.
Igor Thiago’s goal – his second of the match and 21st in the Premier League this season – looked to have secured the points for the Bees.
The striker opened the scoring with an early penalty and restored his team’s lead after Beto had equalised for Everton, who are also chasing a European place.
Seventh-placed Brentford remain in serious contention for Champions League football next season.
But they conceded a second equaliser when former Chelsea man Dewsbury-Hall fired home.
The hosts made a great start, with Thiago scoring from the spot after keeper Jordan Pickford had brought down Kevin Schade.
They were pegged back when Jake O’Brien nudged Keane Lewis-Potter off the ball near the right-hand touchline and pulled the ball back to Idrissa Gueye, whose cross was headed in by Beto.
Brentford almost regained the lead when Schade headed against the bar and Pickford produced a fine save to prevent Dango Outtara scoring with the follow-up.
The hosts hit the bar again after the interval – this time with Nathan Collins’ header from Mathias Jensen’s free-kick.
At the other end, the outstanding Caoimhin Kelleher made a number of saves, including a cracking stop to keep out Ndiaye’s deflected effort as both teams searched for a second goal.
And Brentford got one when Michael Kayode brilliantly darted in from the right and tried his luck with a shot that deflected in off Thiago.
But when Ndiaye’s shot was blocked by Kayode, the ball dropped to Dewsbury-Hall, who found far corner of the net.
Brentford : Kelleher; Kayode, van den Berg, Collins, Lewis-Potter; Yarmoliuk, Jensen, Damsgaard (Nelson 46); Ouattara, Thiago, Schade.
Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Ajer, Donovan, Bentt, Shield, Stephenson, Owen.
