Key events
In the SPL, Hearts lead 1-0 at Parkhead; if they can see this out – and it’s only half-time – their lead at the top will be six points. What a statement it’d be, but perhaps Wilfried Nancy has something in his back pocket to inspire his new team.
So, as per the below, Brighton move up from 10th to seventh, while West Ham remain in the bottom three but are just two points behind Forest and Leeds now.
The league table
Looking at the equaliser again, just before the handball, Kostoulas tries an overhead kick and his boot isn’t far from Mavrapnos’ head. If the defender intimates he’s been hit, the ref probably stops it, but letting it go looked and still looks the right call to me.
And here’s what happened in the WSL:
But league leaders Chelsea trail 1-0 at home to Everton with 16 minutes to go.
While we’ve been at this, Lando Norris won the driver championship for 2025:
“Once again I’m baffled by a handball call, says Alexander Lewis. “If Areola hadn’t pulled off a wonder save, the goal would have been disallowed. But because he saved it and they scored the rebound, it counts. Penalised for making a great save!”
I didn’t look like a handball to me. Had it hit the hand direct, fair enough, but it bounces into the hand off the thigh; I thought the ref and Var got the call correct.
FULL-TIME: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 West Ham United
Brighton found a way, but if West Ham maintain that level, they’re not going down.
90+8 min The corner picks out Mavrapanos, at the back post and this is a chance to win it! He’s up, heads down … and the ball bounces just wide! I’m not sure he could’ve done more because there were men blocking his angles, but he’ll feel he should’ve found a way.
90+7 min Yet again but for the first time in a while, West Ham counter, Wan-Bissaka stroking a first-time pass in behind; his low shot os blocked behind, and this corner might be the final play of the match…
90+6 min Again, Brighton pour forward, Gruda crossing low and Rutter turning on to it, shooting first time in one movement, but again, Mavrapanos, who’s been excellent, blocks. That was goalbound.
90+3 min We will, by the way, have six additional minutes – or were meant to. It’ll be more than that now, and Brighton fancy a winner, forcing another corner. It goes to Kostoulas on the edge and time stands still, then abruptly starts again when he leathers miles over the top.
90+2 min West Ham appeal for a handball and we see the ball hit Rutter’s thigh following an overhead kick earlier in the move, clipping his hand thereafter; that’s not getting overturned because it wasn’t a direct handball.
GOAL! Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 West Ham (Rutter 90+1)
For one of the first times in the game, Brighton sustain an attack, Areola twice making diving saves, but after the second, Van Hecke retrieves, pokes to Rutter and, from a tight angle, on the left of the box, he swings a finish into the far side-netting! That’s Rutter’s first goal of the season and he wants another…
89 min The corner goes to the back post Boscagli head back across, Welbeck diving to head … and the ball is blocked, then he loses out in a challenge as the ball runs out of the box; he wants a penalty but none is forthcoming.
89 min Dunk crosses towards Welbeck and Dunk heads away, then behind when the ball comes back; corner to Brighton.
87 min This has been an almost-perfect away performance from West Ham so far. They’ve restricted one of the league’s better attacking sides to almost nothing in front of goal, and attacked with imagination and conviction. If they hang on, they’ll have fully merited the victory.
85 min Where does Bowen sit in the West Ham pantheon? Surely he’s now ensconced as a club great, up there and probably ahead of your Di Canios and your McAvennies of this world.
84 min Still no shot on target for Brighton.
83 min Brighton bring on Boscagli for Kadioglu.
82 min A triple change for West Ham, Soucek, Magassa and Mayers – making his senior debut – replacing Paqueta, Rodriguez and Diouf.
82 min Kadioglu curls to the back post and Dunk’s up, but his header is wide and by a way.
79 min So far this season, only Liverpool have scored more goals in the last 10 minutes of games than Brighton, but West Ham are defending well; as I type, Wan-Bissaka heads clear, the ball is helped on to Wilson, and he holds up, Bowen inside him and Paqueta nashing on his outside. He opts to shoot, slapping just wide of the near post, and what a difference he’s made; Nuno has deployed his subs really well today, but West Ham now have a corner to defend…
78 min Kadioglu finds Rutter down the left, he cuts square, and Kostoulas is there … but he swings ball into standing leg and it flies wide.
77 min That Van Basten goal.
75 min Immediately, Brighton seek an equaliser, the ball bouncing about in the West Ham box before Areola tips a header from someone, I’m not sure who, on to the bar; the rebound is smuggled clear.
73 min GOAL! Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 West Ham United (Bowen 73)
Van Hecke heads weakly away on halfway, Wilson picks up, teases Dunk, and slides straight in front of him to meet the run of Bowen,coming from the far side having stolen a yard from Kadioglu, and he slides into a tackle-finish that zips across Verbruggen and inside the far post! That’s a terrific improvisational effort – it reminds me a bit of Van Basten in the Euro 88 semi – and what a hero that man is.
72 min Brighton withdraw De Cuyper and Minteh, introducing Gruda and Kostoulas, while West Ham take off Summerville, who’s been a threat, for Wilson, which gives them a box presence and out-ball.
71 min Wieffer out to Minteh, who cuts inside and leathers what’s meant to be a curler that flies way wide of the far post.
70 min Kadioglu crosses and West Ham clear, the ball comes back from the right and they do likewise; De Cuyper crosses, there’s too much on it, and Minteh’s retrieval is no use to anyone. I said earlier this wouldn’t finish goalless, now I’m not so sure.
69 min West Ham win a free-kick on halfway, look to pump it into the box, and instead it goes behind.
69 min Fulham v Palace is live – join Rob Smyth for that one.
67 min Wieffer and Minter link down the right, but Todibo comes across and has studs introduced to metatarsus. I think he’ll be fine, but it’s sore, so there’s a brief interlude; he’s played well today.
65 min Brighton have had 70% this half, but they’re yet to register a shot on target.
65 min Van Hecke into Rutterr out to De Cuyper, whose first-time cross is delicious, but Welbeck can’t get on the end of it and no one else is even trying.
63 min Change for West Ham, Potts replacing Rodriguez.
63 min Miserable weather, goalless and few chances, but this isn’t actually a terrible game, and both sides are working hard trying to win it.
61 min Change for Brighton, Hinshelwood replacing the subbed-yet-again Baleba.
60 min Rodriguez fouls Rutter and is booked.
59 min And Bowen really fancies it, taking the ball from Paqueta at inside-right before weaving by and bumdling through three challenges, his low shot flicking off a defender and inciting Verbruggen to dive full length, flicking out a hand to make a fine save. But the ball rears up and Summerville retreats, making rook for a scissors-kick … that Verbruggen also saves! Great work from the keeper and ensuing corner, though it causes minor mayham, comes to nowt.
57 min West Ham clear and counter, Summerville zooming through midfield and finding Bowen, whose cross for Paqueta goes through Dunk’s legs before someone, Wieffer I think, knocks behind. The corner comes to nowt, but the visitors are starting to fancy this.
56 min Now Brighton attack down the left and Rutter crosses, Mavrapanos flicking a header behind for a corner.
55 min West Ham win a free-kick, but Mavrapnos can’t do anything with it at the back post.
54 min Summerville swipes a pass in behind for Paqueta, who lays back a return, and there’s a nice one-two between the former and Bowen, who can’t quite find a lane to shoot.
53 min Wiffer helps the ball down the right, but Minteh can’t turn it into anything and it goes behind for a goalkick.
52 min The free-kick seeks Mavrapanos at the back post, but there’s way too much on it.
51 min Dunk and Wieffer both catch Summerville; the ref cautions the former.
51 min Here’s that Hughes finish…
47 min West Ham feed Wan-Bissaka down the right and his cross is a goodun – do not adjust your screens, that is not a misprint – but Diouf, with time to take it down and have a chat, instead decides he’s Mark Hughest at Spurs in 1988, and it turns out he isn’t, his scissor-kick flying miles away from anywhere.
