For the first 45 minutes, neither side managed to make a decisive breakthrough.
Early on, Brentford looked the more proactive side: they had decent possession and hoped to use their attacking players to press Burnley’s defense. One notable moment: their captain Nathan Collins nearly connected to a corner to give them a heads-up chance. But his header went wide — a missed opportunity.
Burnley, on the other hand, looked compact and alert. Their goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher produced a fine close-range save after a Burnley defender looked set to score from a free kick situation.
Right before half-time, Burnley had perhaps their best shot: a strike from just outside the area by Zian Flemming that looked dangerous — but Kelleher tipped it away sharply, keeping things level till the break.
Overall, the opening 45 minutes were marked by attacking intent but lacked clinical finishing — a lot of build-up, but no end product.
Second Half: Hitting the Wall — Then Late Drama
After the restart, the game picked up a bit more urgency. Brentford had a moment early when Ouattara broke through for a one-on-one chance, but the Burnley keeper held firm. That near-miss kept the momentum still nicely in the balance.
Not long after, Brentford thought they’d scored — a shot from Thiago struck the net. But the goal was ruled out for offside after the build-up. So despite getting close, they still had to wait.
Then came the turning point: in the 81st minute, a foul on Ouattara inside the box by Burnley’s defender gave Brentford a penalty after VAR review. Thiago stepped up and calmly converted it — slotting down low to give Brentford the lead.
Almost immediately, Burnley earned a penalty themselves after a foul on one of their attackers. Flemming took responsibility and hammered it home in the 85th minute — remarkably leveling the match.
But the drama didn’t stop there. Just 72 seconds later, Brentford struck again. A dangerous cross into Burnley’s box caused chaos in defence — Thiago reacted quickest and volleyed the ball into the net from close range, restoring Brentford’s lead.
Burnley looked shell-shocked. Their organization fell apart under pressure, and Brentford started to smell blood.
As the clock ticked into added time, Brentford kept pushing. In the 90′+2 minute, Ouattara — who was fouled earlier — collected a sublime pass (from Jordan Henderson, according to some match reports) and calmly finished past Burnley’s keeper. That made it 3-1 and effectively killed off any Burnley comeback hopes.
Just like that: from a tight, sterile first half, the game erupted — with four goals in the final 12 minutes.
Persistence & Patience: Even after a goalless first half and a disallowed goal early in the second, they stayed composed. They didn’t panic; they kept attacking and trusted they would get their moments.
Clinical Finishing Under Pressure: Once the penalty came, they took it cleanly. Then when Burnley equalized, instead of deflating, they struck back almost immediately. That mental resilience under pressure spoke volumes.
Smart Use of Wide Play + Supportive Builds: Their width and returning runners caused confusion in Burnley’s defense, especially in the final 15 minutes. That cross leading to the second goal is a good example — and Ouattara’s movement helped stretch Burnley at the end.
Maintaining Focus Until the Final Whistle: Many teams might ease off after taking the lead, but Brentford pressed till the end. The third goal in stoppage time proves they kept intensity high.
Also: the victory pushed them to 8th place in the table (at least temporarily), showing how important home form is.
Their forward, Igor Thiago, now has 11 Premier League goals this season — only behind the league’s top scorer so far.
Defensive Lapses Under Pressure: That cross which led to the second Brentford goal exposed uncertainty and weakness in Burnley’s box. In tight games, concentration lapses like these are costly.
Reacting Poorly to Momentum Swings: Conceding a penalty — then immediately conceding again — shows Burnley struggled to regroup mentally. Once Brentford struck back, Burnley looked rattled.
Lack of Consistent Threat: Although Flemming got a penalty and scored, Burnley had very few genuine chances. Outside that spot-kick, they struggled to test Brentford’s goalkeeper or create sustained pressure.
Not Capitalizing Early Momentum: In the first half they had decent spells a header from a corner, some promising attacks— but they failed to turn them into goals. That’s often lethal when you face a team that can strike late.
Do you think Brentford will win again in there
nextmatch?
