At just 21 years old, Carlos Baleba is in the spotlight. He certainly has nothing to envy of young talents his age, because he does the same. This Saturday, no one was selling Brighton’s skin dearly against Arsenal. But it was a big surprise to see the Seagulls separate from the Gunners with a score of 1-1 at The Amex Stadium, Brighton’s home. This match was part of the 20th day of the Premier League. If the Blues and Whites were able to snatch a draw, it was largely thanks to Carlos Baleba, the 21-year-old Cameroonian midfielder. An extraordinary performance rewarded with the title of best player of the game.
In a meeting marked by mistrust at the start, it was the Gunners who attacked the Seagulls defense and opened the scoring in the 16th minute through Nwaneri (0-1). Arsenal will maintain the pressure until the end of the first half. Back on the playing field for the second round, Mikel Arteta’s men increased their attacks, but Baleba and his team were more than united. Driven by their audience, the Seagulls arm themselves with courage and daring. Ingredients which will allow them to come back to the score in the 62nd minute with a penalty converted by Joâo Pedro (1-1). During the match, Baleba, man of the match, touched 48 balls, completed 30 passes, completed 1 dribble, won 2 duels and made an interception. It is thanks to this meteoric rise that he is on the shelves of several clubs. With this draw, Brighton are in 10th place with 28 points and will be able to do better against Ipswich Town on January 16.
