Jan Paul van Hecke Secures Draw for Brighton & Hove Albion After Verbruggen's Costly Error Against Wolves

The Norwegian striker, who saw a big-money transfer collapse late in the window, appeared frustratedly arguing with his team's coaching staff at full-time. This came after his late substitution, just moments post he struck the post with Wolves leading thanks to Bart Verbruggen's unfortunate deflection. Brighton pushed for a last-gasp equaliser, that finally arrived through Jan Paul van Hecke.

Wolves Denied Again by Late Strike

This marks the second successive week, Wolves' attempt to get their season underway was thwarted by a late equaliser. The Wolves manager had been dismissed shortly prior to the Premier League's bottom side took the lead, when Marshall Munetsi's shot came back off the bar and in off the Brighton goalkeeper.

Fabian Hürzeler's side deserved a point for their second-half control, but Wolves, for the second consecutive match after their tie at Tottenham, appeared as if they would manage to hang on for a maiden league win of the campaign before conceding a last-minute leveler.

Match Turns with Incidents

Strand Larsen looked Wolves' best bet for a crucial additional goal, and the hosts looked less able to break forward with Jhon Arias leading the attack. The match burst into life in the middle of the opening period.

The Wolves boss was furious at Jarred Gillett's call not to give a set-piece when João Gomes was challenged by Baleba midway in the Brighton half. Then, following the official cautioned Baleba for an entirely more obvious infraction on Bueno, the red card was shown to the coach for kicking a spare ball off a cone at the referee's dugout. Although he quickly apologised, it was clearly a dangerous action. The tension had been lit.

When a long free-kick into the Brighton box was nodded 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 dispatched a true powerful of a strike toward goal. Even though Verbruggen managed to tip the ball onto the bottom of the crossbar, it rebounded back and across the line off the goalkeeper's glove.

A single goal almost became two, only for Verbruggen to calmly push Ladislav Krejci's headed effort, from a further high diagonal set-piece, over the bar. Brighton, with their very impressive history at their ground – they had taken victory in their four previous games – and a good start to the season to boot, broke forward with sporadic threat.

Second Half Drama

When Tchatatchoua underpowered a back-pass, Gruda was entitled to challenge Johnstone for the ball, though he did catch the home goalkeeper with his follow-through. After a tetchy spell, the significance of the subsequent goal became more obvious. It almost went Wolves' way, early in the second half, only for Jhon Arias to place high from six yards after a excellent break led by Strand Larsen, after he allowed Hwang Hee-chan to invite the overlapping Hugo Bueno to deliver into the box.

Brighton, somewhat slow in the first half, looked more potent for the introduction of Georginio Rutter and, from Yankuba Minteh's left-side cross, the substitute could barely have struck his half-volley any more sweetly.

Johnstone, though, justifying his selection in the starting lineup over José Sá, dived back to his right to save. Hürzeler had previously asked Ayari to man the back of his midfield on his own, leading Brighton to more possession control, when he introduced the forward Tzimas to join Welbeck in attack, with Gómez just in support of them.

Final Twist as Defender Strikes

The Seagulls 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 had and so came close to sealing the game to bed when Strand Larsen fired against the base of the upright. The Norway striker, still seeking peak condition after an Achilles injury, appeared far from impressed when he was taken off moments later as the assistant, the manager's number two, looked to secure the win. The move failed however as Brighton drew level with four minutes left.

Wolves believed the ball had already gone behind for a goal kick when Tchatatchoua ensured by touching it forward. From Minteh's short set-piece, Maxim De Cuyper delivered and, after Tzimas got a small touch, the defender thudded home only his second ever goal in 77 league games for the team.