Overview
- Jarrod Bowen put West Ham ahead on 73 minutes, squeezing in from a tight angle after Callum Wilson capitalized on Jan Paul van Hecke’s misjudged header.
- Georginio Rutter leveled in the 91st minute at the second attempt after Alphonse Areola’s initial save, with van Hecke recycling the ball back into his path.
- The Premier League Match Centre confirmed the goal following a VAR check, ruling Rutter’s arm was in a natural position and the contact was not immediately prior to the finish under IFAB guidance.
- Nuno Espírito Santo argued the equaliser should have been disallowed for handball and a high boot, but officials detected no offence in the overhead-kick phase and upheld the on-field decision.
- The result keeps Brighton seventh in the European hunt and leaves West Ham 18th, two points from safety, after a rain-soaked contest that also featured a late Konstantinos Mavropanos header wide.