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

The Norwegian striker, after being a major transfer collapse late in the window, was seen angrily confronting Wolves' coaching staff when the match ended. This came after his late substitution, shortly post he hit the woodwork with Wolves leading thanks to the Brighton goalkeeper's own goal. Brighton pushed to get a last-gasp leveler, which came through defender Van Hecke.

Wolverhampton Denied Once More by Late Strike

For the second straight week, Wolves' attempt to get their season up and running was stymied by a last-ditch tying goal. The Wolves manager had been sent off shortly prior to the Premier League's bottom side went ahead, after Marshall Munetsi's shot came back from the crossbar and deflected off the opposition goalkeeper.

Fabian Hürzeler's side deserved a point for their second-half control, but Wolves, for the second consecutive match following their tie at Tottenham, looked as if they were going to hold out for a maiden league victory of the season before conceding a last-minute leveler.

Game Explodes with Drama

Strand Larsen looked Wolves' most likely source for a decisive second goal, and the home team looked struggling to break forward with Arias leading the line. The game exploded into life in the middle of the opening period.

Pereira was incensed at the referee's call not to give 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 altogether more obvious foul on Bueno, the red card was issued to the Wolves manager for kicking a replacement ball off a cone at the referee's dugout. Although he quickly said sorry, it was evidently a reckless action. The fire had been lit.

After a deep set-piece into the Brighton area was headed back into the six-yard box, Danny Welbeck only managed to head the ball away as far as Munetsi, to the right of the penalty spot, who unleashed a true powerful of a shot toward goal. Although Verbruggen managed to deflect the ball against the underside of the crossbar, it bounced back and over the goal-line off the goalkeeper's hand.

A single goal almost turned into two, only for Verbruggen to calmly tip Krejci's headed effort, from a further high angled free-kick, over the bar. Brighton, with their deeply impressive history at Molineux – they had won their previous four matches here – and a positive start to the campaign as well, counterattacked with occasional menace.

After the Break Action

When Jackson Tchatatchoua underpowered a return pass, Brajan Gruda was entitled to challenge Sam Johnstone for the ball, although he did catch the Wolves goalkeeper with his challenge. After a tetchy period, the importance of the subsequent goal became increasingly apparent. It almost went Wolves' way, early in the second period, only for Arias to sidefoot high from six yards after a excellent break spearheaded by Strand Larsen, after he allowed Hwang to invite the overlapping Hugo Bueno to deliver low.

The away side, somewhat undercooked in the opening 45, looked more potent for the introducing of Georginio Rutter and, from Yankuba Minteh's left-side delivery, the replacement could barely have caught his half-volley any more sweetly.

The Wolves keeper, however, vindicating his selection in the starting lineup over José Sá, dived back to his right to save. Hürzeler had already asked Ayari to patrol the back of his engine room on his own, resulting in Brighton to more territorial control, when he brought on the striker Tzimas to partner Welbeck in attack, with Gómez just behind them.

Late Twist as Defender Scores

Brighton have notched more goals against Wolves than against any other team in the Premier League. But Wolves were determined to hang on to what they had and so nearly sealing the match away when Strand Larsen shot against the foot of the post. The Norway striker, still seeking full fitness after an Achilles injury, appeared far from impressed when he was withdrawn minutes later as the assistant, the manager's number two, looked to secure the win. The move failed however as Brighton equalised with four minutes left.

Wolves believed the ball had already gone out for a goal-kick when the defender made sure by nudging it forward. From Minteh's short corner, Maxim De Cuyper crossed and, after the substitute got a slight touch, Van Hecke thudded home only his second ever goal in seventy-seven league appearances for the club.