Mitoma strikes as Albion climb to second

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Japanese winger scores his third goal of the season but Southampton hit back to claim a point in 1-1 draw.

Bruce Talbot

2024-11-29T22:00+00:00

Kaoru Mitoma netted his third goal of the season with an excellent diving header, getting on the end of Tariq Lamptey's cross. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion moved into second place in the Premier League– above Manchester City on the basis of our win against them three weeks ago – but had to settle for a point against Southampton.

Kaoru Mitoma scored in back to back Premier League games for the first time since February 2023 to give Albion a deserved half-time lead and it ought to have been more with Georginio Rutter hitting the post and other chances squandered.

Southampton levelled on the hour with Flynn Downes scoring from their first shot on target and Cameron Archer had a goal disallowed by the VAR for a contentious offside against Adam Armstrong.

Georginio sent an effort inches wide of the post early on. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion regrouped in the closing stages with Lewis Dunk coming on for his 250th Premier League appearance – and first as a substitute. Simon Adingra hit the post deep in stoppage time but the visitors will feel they deserved their first away point of the season.

Albion should have scored after seven minutes. They broke from a Saints’ corner and Yukinori Sugawara was pick-pocketed by compatriot Mitoma 45 yards from goal. With keeper Joe Lumley out of his goal Mitoma had an empty net to aim at but his right-foot effort curled a yard wide.

Three minutes later Rutter went even closer with a left-foot shot after he’d slalomed past three challenges to set up the shooting chance from inside the D. Rutter had his head in his hands in disbelief again in the 16th minute when he cut in from the left and curled a shot that smacked the left-hand post.

Kaoru Mitoma heads in. 📷 by Simon Roe.

Welbeck was next to threaten when he rose to meet Pervis Estupinan’s cross eight yards out but directed his glancing header a yard wide. It felt like a goal was coming and Albion duly struck in the 29th minute with their first effort on target. Matt O’Riley fed Tariq Lamptey who had time to measure a right-foot cross into the six-yard box. Mitoma got between two defenders and as the ball bounced up guided a fine header into the left-hand corner.

Southampton had their best chance of the first half a minute before the break. Sugawara sent over a fine cross at pace from the right, but Archer guided it the wrong side of the near post from eight yards.

Albion needed the security of another goal their dominance had merited only to concede the equaliser on 59 minutes. Two shots by Adam Armstrong were blocked but the ball ran loose and Downes drove a right-foot shot into the far corner from 15 yards.

Downes had already been booked and was fortunate to escape further censure when he brought down Joao Pedro. He was taken off on 65 minutes to a chorus of boos from the home fans.

Georginio celebrates with Kaoru Mitoma after the Japan international put us in front against Saints. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion were relieved when the VAR Jarred Gillett disallowed Archer’s goal for an offside after a four-and-a-half minute inquest because Armstrong was deemed to be interfering with play and the hosts regrouped.

Albion regained a measure of control and the signal for ten minutes of stoppage time gave the Amex crowd further encouragement. With seconds remaining Simon Adingra met Mitoma’s cross at full stretch and his effort brushed the outside of the post. It summed up a frustrating night for Albion.

Albion: Verbruggen, Lamptey (Dunk 72), van Hecke, Igor, Estupinan, Rutter (Minteh 88), Ayari, O’Riley (Wieffer 72), Mitoma, Welbeck (Ferguson 79), Joao (Adingra 72).