26 October 2024
Brighton 2 Wolves 2
The Seagulls have impressed many so far this season under their new manager, Fabian Hurzeler. They were dealt a cruel blow before the visit of Wolves as defender Dunk injured his calf in the warm-up. This would leave a huge hole in the centre of their defence without their captain. For Gary O’Neil’s side, it would give them some confidence that they could change their fortunes.
Wolves started brightly as Cunha was creating some problems down the left. He cut the ball back into the path of Doyle on the edge of the box. With the goal at his mercy, he blazed his effort over the bar and immediately realised what a big chance he had missed. Having run Man City close last weekend, the visitors were hoping to build on that display on their visit to the south coast.
Welbeck is having a season to remember in a Brighton shirt this campaign. He has already scored as many goals as he did in the entire season for The Seagulls last time out. As a cross was played into the box, he rose well to meet it with a header but his effort just looped over the bar with Jose Sa seemingly beaten. Early warning for the visitors, if they needed one.
Mitoma was the next player to have the visitors back-peddling. Some nice interplay from the hosts saw the Japanese winger look to get a shot off from the edge of the box. His effort took a big deflection and narrowly missed the top corner of the goal. The Seagulls were starting to get into their groove at the Amex Stadium.
As a corner was half-cleared, the ball dropped to Baleba some twenty-five yards out. The Brighton midfielder hit a superbly-struck volley which seemed to be arrowing towards the bottom corner of the goal. Jose Sa threw himself full-stretch at the effort and managed to claw it around the post. It was some good football all round.
In a half of few chances, Rutter managed to thread a pass in behind the defence for Welbeck to run onto. The in-form striker slotted it past Jose Sa to give the hosts the lead just before the interval. The Amex Stadium erupted as Hurzeler’s side broke the deadlock. It summed up the luck of Wolves this season as they trailed in yet another game that they had done little wrong in.
After the interval, Wolves started to ask more questions of the hosts. They forced an early corner which saw Strand Larsen get up well at the near post to flick a header towards goal. It was never going to test Verbruggen in The Seagulls’ goal as he made a routine save. It was a positive start by O’Neil’s side as they looked to try and find a way back into the game.
Wolves seem to be getting into the Christmas spirit as early as the supermarkets this year. They gifted the ball to Welbeck, who was able to run through on goal. Fortunately for the visitors, they managed to get bodies back and crowd out the attacker. The last thing they needed to do in this game was to make their uphill struggle any greater.
Cunha then skipped past a few defenders before getting a venomous shot off at goal. Due to the pace with which it was struck, Verbruggen could only beat the ball away at his near post. The Brazilian forward was getting into the game more and it was his teasing cross that was headed goalwards by Strand Larsen. Sadly for the visitors Verbruggen got down well to make the save.
With time running out Lamptey made a dangerous run down the flank. He spotted Ferguson in space in the box and played a neat pass into his feet. The young striker took one touch to shift it to his right foot before drilling a shot into the bottom corner of the goal to seemingly seal the win for The Seagulls. It was the same old story for Gary O’Neil’s Wolves.
Wolves managed to force a corner with just minutes remaining. Many of the away fans had started to make their way back up the motorway at this stage. As the cross came in, Dawson made a nuisance of himself in the box before the ball ricocheted to Ait-Nouri. The Algerian drilled a first-time shot into the bottom corner to give the visitors a feint glimmer of hope.
Then came one of those moments in football that makes the Premier League the best in the world. Ait-Nouri was dispossessed in his own half and the hosts broke forward with a four on one situation. The one Wolves player Doyle then intercepted the pass and came forward with it. His pass picked out Cunha on the halfway line with plenty to do.
The Brazilian drove towards the box with options limited. He fired a shot off at goal, which took a deflection off van Hecke, and went in off the underside of the crossbar. Deep into added time Wolves had done the unthinkable. They had grabbed a point from the jaws of defeat. After late disappointment last week against Man City, karma had come to their aid against Brighton.
Brighton’s fans, players and manager looked stunned. With just minutes remaining they had thrown away a two-goal lead. You have to give credit to the never-say-die attitude of Gary O’Neil’s side. This could be a result that acts as a catalyst for their season and sees them ensure Premier League safety. If that is the case, this crazy 15 seconds of football will be seen as that crucial turning point.
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