Neal Maupay misses penalty in Brighton’s goalless draw with Norwich

A first-half penalty miss by Neal Maupay ensured Brighton and Norwich played out a goalless draw at the Amex Stadium. The goal-shy hosts dominated throughout against their bottom-of-the-table opponents but their usual achilles heel cropped up again.

Maupay had the chance to break the deadlock in the 29th minute but blazed over. He also squandered another chance late on to ensure a second stalemate of the campaign between the teams. Norwich’s quest to end a run of six straight defeats was not helped by further injury problems, with five players ruled out from their last match – a 2-1 defeat to a stoppage-time goal at Leeds three weeks ago.

The hosts were on equally poor form but they started brightly with the recalled Tariq Lamptey and Maupay trying their luck early on in a sign of things to come. It took until the 20th minute for a worthwhile opportunity to be created but Maupay and then Danny Welbeck, also back in the starting XI, scuffed their efforts following neat buildup play between Leandro Trossard and Pascal Gross.

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A drilled strike off-target by Alexis Mac Allister further signalled Brighton’s intent and they should have taken the lead just before the half-hour mark. The referee Simon Hooper pointed to the spot after Sam Byram handled Gross’s deep cross, but the spot-kick was squandered by Maupay.

The French forward blazed over - after some pre-penalty words from the visiting goalkeeper Tim Krul, much to the delight of the travelling fans behind the goal. It meant the hosts’ wait to celebrate a goal at the Amex Stadium continued – Graham Potter’s side have not scored at home since January 18.

Chances continued to be created, with Mac Allister curling wide after a smart free-kick by Solly March before Pierre Lees-Melou had penalty appeals for the away side waved away to ensure it remained goalless at the break.

After a delay to the start of the second half due to referee Hooper experiencing technical difficulties with his earpiece, it was Norwich who began on the front foot with Milot Rashica’s effort blocked by Joël Veltman. Normal service quickly resumed, with Trossard’s quick feet and deflected shot forcing the first of three dangerous corners in a row.

Krul produced a wonderful save from the first to deny his fellow Netherlands international Veltman from a close-range header before Welbeck’s flick-on forced another corner, but Maupay, who was found at the back post, could only fire this one into the side-netting.

Despite that let-off, The Norwich manager Dean Smith had seen enough and introduced the teenager Jonathan Rowe after an hour in an attempt to spark his side into life. Veltman went close again with a header blocked by the Norwich captain Grant Hanley before a rare venture down the other end saw Ben Gibson’s effort from a Billy Gilmour free-kick gathered by Robert Sánchez in the home goal.

Another golden chance was presented to Maupay with 13 minutes left but again it was not taken. Trossard skipped away from Mathias Normann on the right and cut back for Brighton’s top scorer but his side-footed shot from eight yards went wide.

Maupay was withdrawn immediately afterwards and walked around the pitch to warm applause. The atmosphere could have soured had Rashica applied the required finish to Teemu Pukki’s chipped centre in the 79th minute but the Norwich attacker volleyed over.

Brighton’s manager Graham Potter praised the home fans for their response to Maupay, who was applauded off the field when he was substituted late on. “A huge thank you to them for that because he gave everything in the game but it just wasn’t his day,” said Potter.