A thrilling encounter at the London Stadium saw West Ham and Brighton & Hove Albion battle to a 2-2 draw, a result that does little to ease West Ham's concerns. The match was filled with drama, including three penalties, one of which was missed in audacious fashion, and a late equalizer that ensured the points were shared.
West Ham took the lead in the 10th minute through Jarrod Bowen, who latched onto a through ball from Lucas Paquetá and finished past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. The goal was reminiscent of Bowen's decisive strike in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. West Ham nearly doubled their advantage when Ollie Scarles, after his mistake in the previous match, weaved into the area but his shot went wide.
Brighton leveled the score in the 30th minute when Max Kilman fouled Yankuba Minteh in the box. Danny Welbeck converted the penalty, sending Alphonse Areola the wrong way. Brighton were awarded another penalty just minutes later when Paqueta inexplicably rugby-ttackled Lewis Dunk. Welbeck stepped up again, attempting a Panenka, but his effort struck the crossbar.
As the first half drew to a close, West Ham were awarded a penalty after a VAR review determined that Lewis Dunk had blocked Callum Wilson's shot with his arm. Paqueta converted the penalty, making him only the second player in Premier League history to score and concede a penalty in the first half of a match.
The second half began with Brighton pushing for an equalizer. Their persistence paid off in the 61st minute when Joel Veltman scrambled the ball home from a corner after Areola flapped at the ball. Areola claimed for a foul, but his appeals were waved away.
Both sides had chances to win the game in the remaining minutes. Verbruggen denied Bowen with a good save, while Areola kept out efforts from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter. Ultimately, neither team could find a winning goal, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
The draw leaves West Ham still searching for their first win in December and struggling in their fight to avoid relegation. Brighton, meanwhile, continue their inconsistent form, failing to register a win in December as well.
