Brighton 3 Wolves 3 - Report

After recovering from an early Aaron Connolly strike, Wolves were seemingly in control.

A Romain Saiss header, Dan Burn own-goal and Ruben Neves penalty handed the visitors a 3-1 lead at the break.

But only 11 seconds into the second half Brighton were handed a way back into the game. Joao Moutinho foolishly tripped Neal Maupay in the box and the striker stepped up to smash home a penalty.

The Seagulls were in the ascendency from there and peppered the Wolves goal throughout the half. After squandering several opportunities, Lewis Dunk rose highest from a corner to head in Brighton’s third.

The half was fizzling out until substitute Owen Otasowie blazed over a free header with the last touch of the game. In the end the teams shared the points.

Nuno Espirito Santo made two changes to the side that lost narrowly to Manchester United in midweek, moving back to a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Nelson Semedo and Fabio Silva returned to the lineup as Maximilian Kilman and Ki-Jana Hoever dropped to the bench.

Daniel Podence was not involved in the squad after picking up an injury. This meant two goalkeepers were named among the substitutes as Andreas Sondergaard joined John Ruddy.

The only other change on the bench saw Taylor Perry replace Christian Marques.

Graham Potter made five changes to his starting XI, utilising a 3-4-3 formation.

Wolves saw plenty of the ball in the opening stages as Brighton sat back in their defensive shape. Pedro Neto almost scored a superb solo goal when he nutmegged his marker and ran beyond a cluster of opposition players. His shot was wide.

Despite that, the hosts took the lead after 13 minutes. Leandro Trossard got the better of Rayan Ait-Nouri to deliver a perfect cross for Connolly to nip ahead of the Wolves defence and finish neatly from close-range.

Wolves responded almost immediately, however. A corner found Nelson Semedo at the back post and after a skewed shot he crossed for Saiss who headed back across goal and into the top corner.

Connolly’s remarkable overhead kick effort, from inside the box, was caught well by Rui Patricio. The striker had made good contact with the ball.

A thunderous Neto shot, which took a deflection on the way, was saved well by Robert Sanchez but the rebound bounced off defender Burn and rolled into the net after 34 minutes, handing Wolves the lead.

On the stroke of half-time Burn’s night went from bad to worse when Adama Traore skipped past the defender and was brought down in the box. Neves stepped up to take the penalty and send Sanchez the wrong way.

That was the last major action of the half as Wolves entered the break winning 3-1.

Only 11 seconds into the second half and Brighton were awarded a penalty. Moutinho tripped Maupay and the striker picked himself up to pull a goal back for the hosts.

Brighton continued to push for an equaliser in the moments that followed as they cut open the Wolves defence.

Trossard then had an effort blocked from 12 yards.

With the hosts on top Wolves changed to a 5-2-3 formation as Kilman replaced Vitinha.

Brighton should have equalised after 68 minutes. First, Adam Webster hit the crossbar with a header, before substitute Andi Zeqiri blazed over from two yards on the rebound.

But only a minute later, the Seagulls did get their third. Dunk met a corner at the back post and powered a header home.

Otasowie was introduced in the closing stages as Wolves added some depth to midfield.

In the final chance of the game the youngster should have scored when he met a Traore cross, but his free header blazed over the bar.

Teams

Wolves: Patricio, Semedo, Coady, Saiss, Ait-Nouri, Moutinho, Neves, Traore, Vitinha (Kilman, 63), Neto, Silva (Otasowie, 86).

Subs not used: Ruddy, Sondergaard, Hoever, Perry, Cundle, Richards, Corbeanu.

Brighton: Sanchez, Webster, Dunk, Burn (Lallana, 68), Veltman, White, Bissouma (Propper, 45), March, Maupay, Connolly (Zeqiri, 45), Trossard.

Subs not used: Steele, Mac Allister, Gross, Jahanbakhsh, Bernardo, Molumby.