Brighton and Nottingham Forest Continue Unbeaten Streak with 2-2 Premier League Draw

LONDON – Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest came to a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Amex Stadium on Sept 22, missing out on the opportunity to break into the top four of the English Premier League. Both teams put on an entertaining performance, showcasing their skills but ultimately had to settle for a share of the points.

A win would have seen either side move into the Champions League places. However, both teams remain undefeated on nine points after two wins and three draws. Brighton are seventh with Forest eighth.

Said Brighton scorer Jack Hinshelwood: “Very frustrated. We had chances to make it 3-1. We have to be more resilient, especially for the second goal. We have to be harder to take points from. Once you’re in that position, no way we should be dropping points at home.”

Forest opened the scoring on 13 minutes via the penalty spot.

Callum Hudson-Odoi was fouled in the box by Carlos Baleba in a debatable decision, but there was little doubt once Chris Wood stepped up, and Forest’s top scorer from last season with 15 goals made no mistake from the spot with his third goal from five games this term.

The Kiwi last missed a penalty in April 2016.

Wood told : “It is always good to get something out of the game when coming away from home in the Premier League. Brighton is a tough place to come, they are a good side. We deserved the point.”

But then Brighton turned the half on its head in just four late first-half minutes.

In the 42nd minute, a cross by centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke found Hinshelwood in the box and the teenager produced a well-placed header into Matz Sels’ net, which legendary Arsenal attacker Ian Wright called “brilliant from a midfield player”.

On the stroke of half-time, 33-year-old Danny Welbeck scored his 70th Premier League goal and his first from a direct free kick after Ola Aina fouled Kaoru Mitoma outside the box.

Former Aston Villa and Ireland midfielder Andy Townsend laid the blame for the goal on Sels, saying on commentary: “It is a great strike but it has gone in the ’keeper’s side. The wall is taking the near post and I’m not sure what Matz Sels is doing.”

It was also the Seagulls’ fourth direct free-kick goal in Premier League history, with all of them coming from different players – Pascal Gross, Alexis Mac Allister, Lewis Dunk and Welbeck.

That prompted Nuno Espirito Santo to start the second half with a triple substitution, with Neco Williams, Jota Silva and Ryan Yates coming on for James Ward-Prowse, Alex Moreno and Anthony Elanga.

Despite Brighton being largely on top in the second period, Forest equalised 20 minutes from time on the counter-attack.

Vice-captain Morgan Gibbs-White’s piercing pass set off Silva and he laid the ball on to fellow substitute Ramon Sosa for an easy finish past Bart Verbruggen.

Thirteen minutes later, though, Gibbs-White was shown his second yellow for a tackle on Joao Pedro, which was deemed reckless.

The decision incensed Nuno, who was also given his marching orders, as was his opposite number Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, both for “unacceptable technical area behaviour”.

Brighton coach Andrew Crofts told : “The tackle on Joao looked like it wasn’t a great tackle. We were upset with it. The reaction is to see what the referee does. I didn’t see it because I was communicating with a player. Next thing I saw the red cards to the managers.”

Forest assistant manager Rui Pedro Silva added: “I think in the moment we finished the game very emotional. In the moment fighting for the game to remain unbeaten. I’m not able to judge at the moment.”

Hurzeler, 31, now has two yellow cards and a red from his seven games in charge of his new team.

Brighton have had much experience playing against 10 men, with this the fourth time it has happened this campaign, but in the end they were unable to make the numerical advantage count.