In an electrifying atmosphere at Boleyn Ground, West Ham United and Brighton and Hove shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw during matchday 19 of the Premier League.
West Ham United struck first in the 9th minute with a well-crafted goal by Jarrod Bowen. However, Brighton responded with an equalizer from Danny Welbeck, who converted from the penalty spot in the 31st minute. The back-and-forth continued as West Ham regained the lead just after halftime when Lucas Paquetá scored from the spot in the 48th minute. Nevertheless, Brighton’s Jöel Veltman assured his team a share of the points with a brilliant goal in the 60th minute, firing past the keeper after a stunning individual effort.
Veltman’s exquisite finish sent the home crowd into raptures as he curled the ball into the left corner from a tight angle, leaving the West Ham goalkeeper with no chance.
Despite dominating possession with 61% compared to West Ham’s 39%, Brighton failed to find a winner, unable to convert several opportunities.
A notable moment in the first half occurred when Welbeck missed a critical penalty in the 35th minute, a chance that could have propelled Brighton ahead.
Diego Gómez shone as the standout performer, completing 103 passes, winning back 8 balls, and attempting two shots on goal for Brighton. Lucas Paquetá was another key player, contributing a goal and completing 18 accurate passes.
West Ham boss Nuno Simões Espírito Santo implemented a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Alphonse Areola in goal; defenders Kyle Walker-Peters, Jean-Clair Todibo, Maximilian Kilman, and Oliver Scarles; with Soungoutou Magassa, Freddie Potts, Mateus Fernandes, Jarrod Bowen, and Lucas Paquetá in midfield; and Callum Wilson up front.
On the other side, Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton lined up in a 3-6-1 setup with Bart Verbruggen guarding the net; a defensive trio of Jöel Veltman, Jan van Hecke, and Lewis Dunk; and midfielders Ferdi Kadioglu, Yasin Ayari, James Milner, Yankuba Minteh, Diego Gómez, and Maxim De Cuyper, with Welbeck leading the attack.
The match referee was Michael Salisbury.
Looking ahead, West Ham will visit Wolverhampton, while Brighton will host Burnley in their next fixtures.
Following the match, West Ham remains in 18th place on the table with 14 points, while Brighton sits 14th with 25 points.
Substitutions for West Ham United
47’ 1T – Jean-Clair Todibo replaced by Konstantinos Mavropanos
62’ 2T – Callum Wilson replaced by Crysencio Summerville
81’ 2T – Lucas Paquetá replaced by Tomás Soucek
82’ 2T – Soungoutou Magassa replaced by Mohamadou Kanté, Kyle Walker-Peters replaced by Ezra Mayers, and Danny Welbeck replaced by Charalampos Kostoulas
Cautions for West Ham United:
12’ 1T Jarrod Bowen (holding an opponent), 36’ 1T Mateus Fernandes (arguing with an opponent), and 44’ 1T Maximilian Kilman
Substitutions for Brighton and Hove
56’ 2T – Yankuba Minteh replaced by Kaoru Mitoma
57’ 2T – Maxim De Cuyper replaced by Brajan Gruda
71’ 2T – James Milner replaced by Georginio Rutter and Diego Gómez replaced by Jack Hinshelwood
Cautions for Brighton and Hove:
36’ 1T Danny Welbeck (arguing with an opponent), 41’ 1T James Milner, 46’ 1T Lewis Dunk (holding an opponent), 38’ 2T Charalampos Kostoulas, and 47’ 2T Jan van Hecke (holding an opponent).