For long stretches this was a backs-to-the-breeze opener, Fulham absorbing pressure from a Brighton team that had the ball and the territory. When Matt O’Riley put the hosts ahead from the spot on 55 minutes, the afternoon felt like it was slipping away.

But Marco Silva’s team stayed in the fight, trusted the bench, and in the final seconds got what their resilience earned. Harry Wilson’s stoppage-time corner found Rodrigo Muniz at the far post; one touch on the chest, one swing through bodies, and a precious opening-day point was banked.

A teenage spark and an early shout that set the tone

Eighteen-year-old Josh King played with no fear. He carried ground, drew fouls and twice broke Brighton’s press to release runners. In the liveliest early moment, King went down under Bart Verbruggen in the box; the referee waved play on after a VAR check.

Those flashes mattered on a day Brighton had more of the ball. They signposted a route back into the game: win first contacts, spring quickly, and make the most of set-pieces when they arrive.

Holding the line while Brighton probe

Bernd Leno’s handling was sound, the back four stayed compact, and Alex Iwobi worked to close lanes even as Brighton’s rotations asked questions. When the hosts did break through, the finish deserted them — Mitoma over the bar, Lewis Dunk into the side-netting.

Fulham’s threat, meanwhile, came on the counter through King and in Wilson’s late surges. It wasn’t free-flowing, but it was durable: enough to keep the contest within one moment.

Chasing the game after O’Riley’s penalty — frustration then focus

Sander Berge’s clip on Georginio Rutter gave Brighton their opening, and O’Riley converted with certainty. The concession also marked Fulham’s 1,000th given up in the Premier League — salt in the wound on a tight afternoon.

Silva’s reaction was immediate: more runners, more aggression on second balls, and the bench primed to tilt the game. The target was simple — force Brighton to defend deeper and turn pressure into restarts around the box.

The triple change and belief in the set-piece

Tom Cairney added calm, Adama Traoré carried yards, and Muniz arrived to pin centre-backs. Emile Smith Rowe replaced King to a warm ovation and immediately drew a save that yielded a corner — the first sign of Brighton creaking under the aerial load.

Kenny Tete volleyed wide from one late delivery, a sighter that went unpunished. From the next, Wilson’s corner travelled beyond the first crowd and found Muniz peeling to the back post; he did the rest with emphatic calm.

Leno’s moments and the margins that mattered

Brighton’s biggest threat after the goal came from distance when Diego Gómez’s strike squirmed under Leno’s body before he recovered. Later, Brajan Gruda’s break was snuffed out by defensive recovery. The line held just long enough for the equaliser to matter.

It wasn’t pretty, but opening days rarely are. Fulham stayed compact, trusted their keeper, and kept enough fuel for the final sprint.

What this means — resilience rewarded, reinforcements still required

Muniz’s knack for late goals remains priceless — and so does keeping him. King’s debut suggested a fearless option, Wilson’s set-pieces stayed dangerous, and Cairney’s calm helped turn the tide. The spine of a gritty point is there.

The squad still needs attacking numbers, as Silva has stressed, but this was a platform. Manchester United visit next; carry this resilience into sharper transitions and the first home crowd of the season will have something to get behind.