Brighton and Hove Albion 2-3 Atletico Madrid: Lucas Hernandez scores last minute winner to deny impressive Seagulls in pre-season friendly

• Nicolas Gaitan opened scoring from range with shot through keeper's grasp 
• The hosts equalised after the interval through Pascal Gross' deflected free kick
• However just six minutes later Fernando Torres headed in a cross unmarked
• Steve Sidwell pulled the Seagulls level again with a close range header
• Lucas Hernandez scored the winner after Antoine Griezmann's shot was parried

There is a wonderful buzz around Brighton right now ahead of their first top-flight campaign in 34 years and not even a glamour friendly defeat against Atletico Madrid will muffle the excitement.

The 31,000-seater Amex Stadium was a near sell-out; compare that to Tottenham who could only muster around 20,000 at Wembley Stadium for their friendly against Juventus on Saturday - less than a quarter of the 90,000 capacity - and it felt like the whole of Brighton would have come to see this one, if possible. 

The match warranted the interest: Atletico twice took the lead through Nicolas Gaitan and Fernando Torres, only for Pascal Gross and Steve Sidwell to twice level, before Lucas Hernandez won it late on. 

MATCH FACTS 

Brighton (4-4-2): Ryan; Bruno (Rosenior 70), Duffy, Dunk, Suttner (Bong 46); Murphy (March 46), Stephens, Kayal (Sidwell 46), Brown (Lua Lua 90); Gross, Hemed (Knockaert 70)

Unused subs: Maenpaa, Hunemeier, Goldson, Skalak

Goals: Gross 61, Sidwell 77

Atletico Madrid (4-3-3): Oblak; Juanfran, Savic, Gimenez (Godín 68), Lucas; Gabi (Partey 68), Koke, Gaitan (Augusto 84); Carrasco, Griezmann (Keidi 90), Torres (Correa 68)

Unused subs: Moya, Sergi, Amath, Vietto

Goals: Gaitan 43, Torres 67, Hernandez 89

Booking: Partey 86

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While there was a friendly element to the occasion, it had serious undertones. 

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Early on in the match, Antoine Griezmann - wearing an Alice Band to hold back his long, floppy peroxide blond hair like an early 2000s David Beckham - sent a free kick into the arms of goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and chants of ‘Who are you’ came from behind the goal.

Brighton will have to get used to defending for the majority of games during the coming season and this was a well-suited test as they prepare for a Premier League opener against Manchester City on Saturday. 

A Shane Duffy header from a free kick was their only chance of the first half, yet Atletico’s opportunities were continuous.

Yannick Carrasco hit a crisp volley, when the ball was cleared to him from a corner while he waited in the left corner of the box, and goalkeeper Ryan saw it at the last second but still managed to parry out. 

Soon after, Carrasco, infinitely confident on the ball, found space again, on the edge of the box, and his low shot forced another diving save from Brighton’s keeper.

Another Atletico attack, shortly before the break, and a ball played into the box was deflected on to Griezmann who inadvertently sent it on target. 

Ryan leapt down again as the ball rolled towards the bottom right corner, but couldn’t hold, then Griezmann and his team-mates tried to force it in but were surrounded by a swarm of yellow and black Brighton defenders. That could a theme in the months ahead. 

It appeared nothing would get past Ryan, an Australian club record £6million signing from Valencia and Chris Hughton’s first-choice in goal, when Carrasco sent in a low cross from the left byline on 40 minutes and the goalkeeper plunged to intercept once more, with Torres waiting for a tap-in.

Perhaps he was marveling at his own performance a minute later when Gaitan shot from all of 35 yards and, while it lacked power, Ryan positioned himself badly and the ball brushed his arm on the way in.

Gaitan was due some bad luck after the remarkable good fortune surrounding his goal and it arrived on the hour for Brighton’s equaliser. Gross struck a low free kick, positioned to the left of goal, and Atletico’s attacking midfielder, himself eight yards out, stuck out a leg to send the ball into his own net via the left post. Gross will surely claim it.

If Hughton was analysing his side’s defence in particular to see how they cope with a star-studded attack, he would’ve been alarmed by Atletico’s second goal in the 66th minute: Juanfran crossed from the right and Torres was completely unmarked to head in. Simple stuff that they will be punished for on a regular basis by Premier League sides.

So, too, will Diego Simeone’s side in La Liga and the Champions League, come to that, if they do the same. Fifteen minutes before the end, substitute Solly March beat Juanfran and stuck the ball up and substitute Sidwell was free to head in.

A draw would’ve been fair, but three minutes from time Griezmann had a shot saved by Ryan and Hernandez half-volleyed in the rebound.