Brighton & Hove Albion's first-ever appearance in European competition ended in defeat as they were beaten 3-2 at home by AEK Athens this evening.
The Seagulls fell behind three times at the Amex Stadium and, while a pair of VAR-awarded Joao Pedro penalties restored parity on the first two occasions, the visitors' third goal in the 84th minute proved to be one step too far for the continental debutants.
Ezequiel Ponce pounced to earn all three points for AEK, who rise straight to the top of a difficult Group B after Marseille and Ajax played out a 3-3 draw in the group's other game.
Roberto De Zerbi's men went into the match off the back of a famous win at Old Trafford at the weekend, and they were firm favourites to make a winning start to their maiden European adventure in what had been tipped as their easiest match on paper in the whole group.
However, it took just 11 minutes for them to be brought back down to earth as Djibril Sidibe gave the visitors the lead with a brilliant diving header after being left unmarked on the edge of the box from a corner.
It could have quickly got worse for Brighton moments later when Jason Steele thwarted a golden chance for Levi Garcia, and fortunes seemed to be firmly against them when Pedro was initially denied a penalty and instead shown a yellow card for simulation after going down in the box on the half-hour mark.
VAR intervened to overturn the decision and award a penalty, though, and Pedro stepped up himself to write his name into the Brighton history books as the club's first-ever European goalscorer.
The feelgood factor lasted only 10 minutes before AEK Athens regained the lead as Brighton seemed to once again miss the presence of the injured Lewis Dunk when they conceded from another set piece, this time Mijat Gacinovic getting the finish touch from a free kick.
While AEK's first two goals came from similar routes, Brighton's equalisers were near identical, with VAR again needing to intervene to rule that Pedro had been fouled in the box for a second time before the record summer signing converted from the spot once more midway through the second half.
However, as Brighton pushed for a winner they were hit on the break by the visitors as Ponce exchanged passes with Niclas Eliasson before tucking home to spoil Brighton's party.
The Seagulls were given 13 minutes of stoppage time in which to find a third equaliser, but they could not do it as AEK held out for a win which changes the expected landscape of the group after matchday one.
Barney Corkhill
