Van Hecke Earns Draw for Brighton Following Bart Verbruggen's Own Goal Versus Wolves

The Norwegian striker, who saw a big-money transfer fall through late in the window, appeared angrily confronting Wolves' coaching staff at full-time. It happened after his late substitution, shortly after he hit the post with Wolves ahead thanks to Bart Verbruggen's own goal. The Seagulls pushed to get a last-gasp equaliser, that came through Jan Paul van Hecke.

Wolves Frustrated Once More by Late Goal

This marks the second successive week, Wolves' bid to kickstart their campaign underway was stymied by a last-ditch equaliser. Vítor Pereira had been sent off just before the Premier League's last-placed team went ahead, after Marshall Munetsi's shot rebounded from the crossbar and in off the opposition goalkeeper.

Fabian Hürzeler's side deserved a draw for their after-interval dominance, but Wolves, for the second consecutive match following their tie at Tottenham, appeared as if they were going to hold out for a first league victory of the campaign before conceding a last-minute leveler.

Match Turns with Drama

Strand Larsen looked Wolves' most likely source for a decisive additional goal, and the hosts looked less able to break forward with Jhon Arias leading the attack. The game burst into life in the middle of the opening period.

The Wolves boss was incensed at Jarred Gillett's call not to give a set-piece when João Gomes was challenged by Baleba midway in the Brighton half. Then, after the referee cautioned Baleba for an altogether more obvious infraction on Hugo Bueno, the dismissal was issued to the coach for striking a replacement ball off a cone at the referee's technical area. Although he quickly apologised, it was evidently a reckless act. The fire had been ignited.

After a long set-piece into the visitors' box was nodded back into the danger area, Danny Welbeck only managed to head the ball away as far as the midfielder, to the right of the penalty spot, who dispatched a true hammer of a shot toward goal. Although Verbruggen managed to deflect the ball onto the bottom of the crossbar, it bounced down and across the line off the shot-stopper's hand.

One almost became two, only for the Brighton keeper to very deliberately push Krejci's header, from a further high diagonal set-piece, over the bar. Brighton, with their very impressive record at Molineux – they had won their four matches here – and a positive start to the season to boot, broke forward with sporadic menace.

After the Break Drama

When Tchatatchoua underhit a back-pass, Brajan Gruda was within his rights to contest Sam Johnstone for the ball, though he did catch the Wolves goalkeeper with his follow-through. After a niggly period, the importance of the subsequent goal became more apparent. It almost went Wolves' way, soon in the second period, only for Arias to sidefoot high from six yards after a excellent break led by Strand Larsen, after he allowed Hwang Hee-chan to invite the overlapping Hugo Bueno to deliver low.

The away side, a little undercooked in the first half, looked more potent for the introduction of Georginio Rutter and, from Yankuba Minteh's left-wing delivery, the replacement could barely have caught his half-volley any more sweetly.

Johnstone, however, justifying his retention in goal over Sá, dived back to his side to deny him. Hürzeler had already asked Ayari to patrol the base of his midfield on his own, resulting in Brighton to greater possession control, when he introduced the striker Stefanos Tzimas to partner Welbeck in the frontline, with Diego Gómez just behind them.

Final Drama as Defender Strikes

Brighton have notched more goals against Wolves than against any other team in the Premier League. But Wolves were set to hang on to what they had and so came close to putting the match away when Strand Larsen fired against the base of the upright. The Norwegian forward, still seeking full fitness after an Achilles injury, did not look happy when he was taken off minutes later as Luis Miguel, the manager's number two, looked to shore up the win. The decision backfired however as Brighton drew level with 4 minutes remaining.

Wolves believed the ball had already gone out for a goal kick when the defender ensured by nudging it forward. From Minteh's near-post corner, De Cuyper crossed and, after the substitute got a small touch, Van Hecke powered in only his second ever goal in 77 league games for the club.