Igor Thiago's late brace propelled Brentford to a dramatic 3-1 victory over Burnley at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday. The match, which seemed destined for a goalless draw for much of the first half, exploded into life in the final ten minutes, showcasing a flurry of goals and nerve-wracking moments.
Burnley, struggling with confidence after three consecutive defeats, initially managed to contain Brentford's attacks in the opening 15 minutes. However, Brentford gradually asserted their dominance, pinning Burnley back into their own half. Mikkel Damsgaard proved a difficult player for Burnley to mark, creating several opportunities. One such instance saw Damsgaard finding Thiago inside the area, but the latter's effort went wide. Damsgaard himself came close to scoring with a strike from 20 yards, but it flew narrowly over the bar. In the 35th minute, Burnley had a chance to take the lead through Axel Tuanzebe, but his shot was directed straight at Caoimhin Kelleher, and he was offside regardless. Zian Flemming's strike forced Kelleher into another save before the halftime whistle.
Brentford started the second half with renewed attacking intent. Thiago found the net, but his celebrations were cut short by an offside flag, as Dango Ouattara had strayed offside in the build-up. Ouattara himself then came close, heading inches wide of the post. Thiago then missed another opportunity, slicing his shot over the bar from inside the area.
The game remained goalless until the 81st minute when Brentford was awarded a penalty. Igor Thiago stepped up and converted, giving the Bees a deserved lead. However, Burnley responded swiftly, earning a penalty of their own just four minutes later, which Zian Flemming converted to level the score.
The drama was far from over. With just four minutes of normal time remaining, Igor Thiago struck again, restoring Brentford's lead. Then, deep into stoppage time, Dango Ouattara sealed the victory for Brentford, making it 3-1. The final score marked the fifth consecutive Premier League meeting between Brentford and Burnley won by the home side.
