Van Hecke’s late header thwarts Wolves after Pereira sees red at Molineux

Jan Paul van Hecke’s powerful late header salvaged a 1-1 draw for Brighton and Hove Albion, denying Wolves a first Premier League win of the season on a fraught afternoon that also saw Vítor Pereira sent off. Wolves had led for over an hour after Bart Verbruggen’s own goal, the Brighton goalkeeper unfortunate when Marshall Munetsi’s thunderous effort hit the bar and ricocheted in off him just moments after the Wolves head coach was dismissed.

Jhon Arias spurned a big chance to make it 2-0 and Jørgen Strand Larsen struck the post, but Brighton’s second-half pressure finally told from a well-worked short corner. The Seagulls extended their strong record at Molineux, while winless Wolves remain bottom, again punished by a late leveller a week after being pegged back at Tottenham.

A flash of red and a ricocheted opener

The contest’s mood changed in the space of a minute. Referee Jarred Gillett dismissed Pereira after the Wolves boss booted a spare ball in frustration at not receiving a free-kick, prompting an immediate apology later relayed by assistant Luís Miguel. The incident ignited the stadium and, paradoxically, lit a fire under the home team.

From a long Danny Welbeck free-kick that Wolves could not fully clear, the ball broke to Munetsi to the right of the penalty spot. He unleashed a hammer of a strike that Verbruggen fingertipped onto the bar, only for cruel physics to intervene as it bounced down and off the goalkeeper’s glove and over the line. It counted as an own goal and put Wolves in front.

Chances spurned and a pivotal substitution

The lead might have been doubled. A rapid counter driven by Strand Larsen released the overlapping Hugo Bueno, whose low cross found Arias six yards out; the forward side-footed over. Sam Johnstone then produced a brilliant save to deny Georginio Rutter as Brighton threatened, before Strand Larsen crashed a shot against the post with a quarter of an hour to play.

Fourteen minutes from time Wolves altered the picture, replacing the influential Strand Larsen with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and pushing the slighter Arias to lead the line. The hosts, increasingly in a low block, were less able to get out. Strand Larsen’s frustration at the decision was obvious at full-time, while Luís Miguel explained the striker is still not at 100% after injury.

Seagulls swarm late and strike from a corner

Brighton’s history here—just one defeat in their last 12 league visits—was matched by their second-half control. Wolves felt the ball had already gone behind for a goal-kick in the build-up, but the Seagulls maintained pressure and earned a late corner as they pushed the hosts back.

From Yankuba Minteh’s short delivery, Maxim De Cuyper arced in a cross that Stefanos Tzimas glanced on and Van Hecke buried with a thudding header into the bottom corner. With four minutes left, parity was secured and the away end roared for a point that reflected Brighton’s late ascendancy. Fabian Hürzeler called it a good, not great, display but lauded his side’s resilience.

Patterns and implications

For Wolves, it was the same sting as last weekend—another late equaliser conceded to turn victory into a draw. They remain rooted to the bottom with two points from seven league games, their wait for a first top-flight win since April dragging on despite signs of improved cohesion.

The numbers underlined the territorial imbalance: Brighton had 26 touches in the hosts’ box to Wolves’ nine and completed 104 passes in the final third to Wolves’ 35. The Seagulls’ form at Molineux and their growing steel carried them to a result, while Wolves’ lack of cutting edge and inability to close out games continue to define a precarious start that leaves forthcoming fixtures feeling pivotal.