A GREEK TRAGEDY!

Seagulls come a cropper on Euro debut

- NEIL McLEMAN

JOAO PEDRO scored Brighton's first European goals from VAR penalties but it was the Albion defence who bore gifts to the Greek champions.

The Seagulls had waited 122 years to make a first appearance in European competition after a remarkable story of nearly going bust to their Premier League boom.

And a bizarre latest chapter at a sold-out Amex Stadium saw AEK Athens twice take the lead from setpieces only for Estonian ref Kristo Tohver to TWICE miss blatant fouls on Pedro before VAR intervened.

Both times Pedro got up and scored from the spot in a hectic night in the rain. But as Brighton chased a late winner, Ezequiel Ponce scored an 84th-minute winner (right) to spoil the home club's first European party.