Jan Paul van Hecke Secures Point for Brighton Following Bart Verbruggen's Costly Error Versus Wolves

The Norwegian striker, after being a big-money transfer fall through late in the window, was seen angrily arguing with Wolves' coaching staff at full-time. This came after his second-half substitution, shortly post he struck the post with Wolves ahead thanks to the Brighton goalkeeper's unfortunate deflection. Brighton pushed for a late equaliser, that finally arrived through defender Van Hecke.

Wolverhampton Denied Once More by Last-Minute Strike

This marks the second successive week, Wolves' attempt to get their season underway was thwarted by a late tying goal. Vítor Pereira had been sent off just before the top flight's bottom side took the lead, when Marshall Munetsi's shot rebounded from the crossbar and in off the Brighton goalkeeper.

Fabian Hürzeler's side deserved a point for their second-half control, but Wolves, in their second consecutive match after their draw at Spurs, looked as if they were going to hang on for a maiden league victory of the campaign before conceding a last-minute equaliser.

Game Explodes with Drama

The striker looked Wolves' best bet for a decisive second goal, and the home team looked less able to break forward with Jhon Arias leading the line. The match burst into action in the heart of the first half.

The Wolves boss was furious at the referee's call not to give a set-piece when Gomes was jostled by Carlos Baleba in the middle in the opposition half. Then, following the official booked Baleba for an entirely more obvious infraction on Hugo Bueno, the dismissal was shown to the Wolves manager for kicking a replacement ball from a marker at the referee's dugout. Although he promptly apologised, it was evidently a reckless action. The fire had been lit.

When a deep free-kick into the Brighton box was nodded back into the six-yard box, Welbeck only managed to head the ball out as far as the midfielder, on the right side of the spot, who dispatched a veritable hammer of a shot goalwards. Although the keeper managed to tip the ball onto the underside of the bar, it bounced down and over the goal-line after hitting the shot-stopper's hand.

One almost turned into two, only for Verbruggen to very deliberately push Krejci's header, from another high diagonal set-piece, to safety. The visitors, with their very impressive record at Molineux – they had taken victory in their four previous games – and a good beginning to the campaign to boot, broke forward with occasional menace.

After the Break Drama

When Jackson Tchatatchoua underpowered a back-pass, Gruda was entitled to challenge Sam Johnstone for the ball, though he did catch the home goalkeeper with his challenge. After a tetchy spell, the importance of the next goal became more obvious. It almost went Wolves' way, early in the second half, only for Jhon Arias to place over the bar from close range after a excellent counterattack spearheaded by Strand Larsen, after he allowed Hwang Hee-chan to invite the advancing Hugo Bueno to cross low.

Brighton, somewhat undercooked in the first half, looked stronger for the introducing of Rutter and, from Minteh's left-wing cross, the substitute could hardly have struck his half-volley any more perfectly.

The Wolves keeper, though, justifying his selection in the starting lineup ahead of José Sá, dived back to his side to save. The Brighton coach had previously asked Ayari to patrol the base of his midfield on his by himself, resulting in Brighton to more territorial control, when he brought on the forward Tzimas to join Welbeck in the frontline, with Gómez just behind them.

Late Drama as Defender Strikes

The Seagulls have notched more times against Wolves than against any other team in the top division. But Wolves were determined to hang on to what they held and so came close to sealing the game to bed when Larsen fired against the base of the upright. The Norway forward, yet to regain full fitness after an achilles injury, did not look impressed when he was withdrawn moments later as the assistant, Pereira's number two, looked to shore up the win. The move failed though as Brighton equalised with four minutes remaining.

Wolves felt the ball had already gone out for a goal kick when Tchatatchoua ensured by nudging it on. From Minteh's near-post set-piece, De Cuyper crossed and, after the substitute got a small flick-on, Van Hecke powered in only his second ever goal in seventy-seven league games for the team.