No action for Leon Balogun in Brighton defeat

Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun was an unused substitute as Brighton and Hove Albion recorded their back to back premier league defeat losing 2-1 to Cardiff on Saturday.

Although the Nigerian international who joined the side shortly before the world cup in Russia has made competitive debut of the side he is yet to feature on regular basis sitting out in as many as five matches so far.

Though the Brighton put up what could pass for an impressive defensive effort it did not stop hard fighting Cardiff from running away with eventual victory with the winning goal coming late in dramatic fashion.

Visiting Brighton had shot into the lead in the 6th minute through Captain Lewis Dunk, but host Cardiff grabbed the equalizer 22 minutes later thanks to Cullum Patterson. The match remained a ding-dong affair and appeared to be heading for a 1-1 draw before Ivorian international Souleymane Bamba sealed it after multiple shots were effectively checked by the Brighton defence until the moment it became inevitable in the 90th minute.

Brighton went into Saturday’s match from a 3-1 defeat by Everton last weekend.  In the last six premier league matches they have won three  against Wolverhampton, Newcastle and West Ham winning on each occasion by a lone goal and have lost three against Manchester City, Everton and Cardiff respectively. Leon Balogun is expected in the Super Eagles camp ahead of the AFCON match against Bafana Bafana of South Africa on November 17 having been named in coach Gernot Rohr 23-man list.