Van Hecke Secures Point for Brighton After Bart Verbruggen's Costly Error Versus Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Norwegian striker, who saw a big-money transfer collapse recently, was seen frustratedly confronting Wolves' coaching staff at full-time. It happened after his second-half substitution, shortly after he struck the post with Wolves leading thanks to the Brighton goalkeeper's unfortunate deflection. Brighton pressed to get a late leveler, that came through defender Van Hecke.

Wolverhampton Frustrated Once More by Late Strike

This marks the second straight match, Wolves' attempt to get their season underway was thwarted by a last-ditch tying goal. Vítor Pereira had been dismissed just before the top flight's last-placed team went ahead, after a Munetsi volley rebounded from the crossbar and deflected off the opposition goalkeeper.

Fabian Hürzeler's side deserved a draw for their second-half control, but Wolves, for the second consecutive match following their draw at Spurs, appeared as if they were going to hold out for a first league victory of the season before allowing a late leveler.

Game Explodes with Drama

Strand Larsen looked Wolves' most likely source for a crucial second goal, and the home team looked struggling to get out with Arias spearheading the line. The game exploded into life in the heart of the first half.

Pereira was incensed at Jarred Gillett's decision not to award a free-kick when Gomes was jostled by Baleba in the middle in the opposition half. Then, following the referee booked Baleba for an altogether more obvious foul on Hugo Bueno, the red card was shown to the Wolves manager for kicking a spare ball off a cone at the referee's dugout. Even though he promptly said sorry, it was evidently a dangerous action. The fire had been lit.

After a deep free-kick into the Brighton area was headed back into the danger area, Danny Welbeck only managed to head the ball away as far as Munetsi, on the right side of the penalty spot, who unleashed a true powerful of a strike toward goal. Although the keeper managed to deflect the ball onto the bottom of the crossbar, it rebounded back and across the goal-line after hitting the shot-stopper's hand.

A single goal almost became two, only for the Brighton keeper to very deliberately tip Krejci's header, from a further high angled free-kick, over the bar. Brighton, with their deeply strong record at their ground – they had taken victory in their four previous games – and a positive beginning to the campaign to boot, counterattacked with sporadic menace.

After the Break Drama

When Jackson Tchatatchoua underpowered a back-pass, Brajan Gruda was entitled to contest Sam Johnstone for the ball, although he made contact with the home goalkeeper with his follow-through. After a tetchy period, the significance of the next goal became more apparent. It almost went Wolves' favor, early in the second period, only for Jhon Arias to sidefoot high from close range after a excellent counterattack led by Strand Larsen, after he allowed Hwang to set up the advancing Bueno to cross low.

The away side, a little undercooked in the first half, looked more potent for the introducing of Rutter and, from Yankuba Minteh's left-wing cross, the substitute could barely have caught his shot any more perfectly.

The Wolves keeper, however, vindicating his selection in goal over Sá, dived back to his right to deny him. Hürzeler had already asked Yasin Ayari to man the back of his engine room on his by himself, leading Brighton to greater territorial dominance, when he introduced the striker Tzimas to join Welbeck in attack, with Gómez just in support of them.

Final Twist as Van Hecke Scores

Brighton have notched more times against Wolves than against any other team in the top division. But Wolves were determined to hold firm to what they had and so came close to putting the match to bed when Strand Larsen shot against the foot of the post. The Norway striker, yet to regain peak condition after an Achilles injury, did not look happy when he was taken off minutes later as the assistant, the manager's assistant, looked to shore up the victory. The decision backfired though as Brighton equalised with four minutes remaining.

Wolves believed the ball had already gone behind for a goal kick when the defender made sure by nudging it on. From Minteh's near-post corner, Maxim De Cuyper delivered 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.