Jan Paul van Hecke Earns Point for Brighton After Verbruggen's Costly Error Against Wolves

Jørgen Strand Larsen, after being a major transfer collapse late in the window, appeared angrily arguing with Wolves' coaching staff at full-time. This came after his second-half substitution, just moments post he hit the woodwork with Wolves ahead thanks to Bart Verbruggen's unfortunate deflection. The Seagulls pressed for a late leveler, that came through defender Van Hecke.

Wolves Denied Once More by Late Goal

For the second straight match, Wolves' attempt to kickstart their campaign up and running was thwarted by a last-ditch equaliser. The Wolves manager had been sent off shortly prior to the Premier League's last-placed team took the lead, when a Munetsi volley rebounded from the crossbar and in off the Brighton goalkeeper.

Fabian Hürzeler's side earned a draw for their second-half dominance, but Wolves, for the second consecutive match following their tie at Spurs, appeared as if they would manage to hold out for a maiden league win of the campaign before conceding a late leveler.

Match Turns with Drama

The striker looked Wolves' most likely source for a decisive additional goal, and the home team seemed struggling to get out with Arias spearheading the attack. The match burst into life in the heart of the opening period.

Pereira was furious at Jarred Gillett's decision not to award a free-kick when Gomes was jostled by Carlos Baleba in the middle in the opposition half. Then, after the official booked Baleba for an entirely more obvious infraction on Hugo Bueno, the red card was shown to the coach for striking a spare ball off a cone at the referee's dugout. Even though he quickly said sorry, it was evidently a dangerous action. The tension had been ignited.

After a long free-kick into the visitors' box was headed back into the six-yard box, Danny Welbeck only managed to head the ball out as far as Munetsi, to the right of the penalty spot, who unleashed a true hammer of a shot goalwards. Although the keeper managed to tip the ball against the underside of the crossbar, it rebounded down and over the line off the goalkeeper's glove.

A single goal almost turned into two, only for Verbruggen to very deliberately tip Ladislav Krejci's header, from a further high diagonal set-piece, to safety. Brighton, with their deeply impressive history at their ground – they had won their previous four previous games – and a good beginning to the campaign to boot, broke forward with sporadic threat.

Second Half Drama

When Tchatatchoua underpowered a return pass, Gruda was entitled to contest Johnstone for the ball, though he made contact with the home goalkeeper with his follow-through. After a tetchy spell, the significance of the next goal became more apparent. It almost went Wolves' way, soon in the second period, only for Arias to sidefoot over the bar from close range after a excellent break led by Strand Larsen, after he allowed Hwang Hee-chan to set up the overlapping Bueno to deliver low.

Brighton, a little slow in the first half, looked stronger for the introducing of Georginio Rutter and, from Yankuba Minteh's left-wing cross, the replacement could barely have struck his half-volley any more sweetly.

Johnstone, however, vindicating his retention in goal ahead of José Sá, leapt back to his side to deny him. Hürzeler had already asked Yasin Ayari to patrol the base of his midfield on his own, leading Brighton to more possession dominance, when he brought on the striker Tzimas to join Welbeck in attack, with Diego Gómez just in support of them.

Final Twist as Defender Strikes

Brighton have scored more times against Wolves than against every other team in the Premier League. But Wolves were set to hold firm to what they held and so nearly putting the game away when Larsen fired against the foot of the post. The Norwegian striker, yet to regain full fitness after an Achilles injury, did not look happy when he was taken off minutes later as the assistant, Pereira's assistant, looked to shore up the win. The decision failed though as Brighton drew level with 4 minutes remaining.

Wolves believed the ball had already gone behind for a goal kick when Tchatatchoua made sure by nudging it forward. From Minteh's short set-piece, Maxim De Cuyper crossed and, after the substitute got a small flick-on, Van Hecke thudded home only his second goal in 77 league appearances for the club.