Socceroos Mat Ryan and Aaron Mooy can rest easy after Brighton all but secured their English Premier League survival on Thursday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Seagulls drew 1-1 with Southampton at St Marys Stadium to move to 36 points - six points clear of relegation-haunted Aston Villa and Bournemouth with just two matches remaining.
Brighton have a far superior goal difference than both Villa and Bournemouth.
Both Ryan and Mooy played a key part in ensuring Brighton Premier League safety this season with the gloveman, in particular, one of their star players throughout.
The Socceroos No.1 had to be brave again on Thursday when Southampton went in search of the winner after Danny Ings cancelled out Neal Maupay's first-half strike in the 66th minute for his 20th goal of the campaign.
The hosts almost got the winner only to be denied by Ryan who somehow got his fingertips to a thunderous 25-yard strike from Jannik Vestergaard to divert it on to the underside of the crossbar.
Mooy came on as a substitute to see out the result that left Villa, Bournemouth, Watford and West Ham fighting for survival, and Brighton breathing easy with matches against Newcastle and Burnley to come.
Australian Associated Press
