The spoils were shared in east London on Saturday afternoon as West Ham and Brighton played out a 1-1 draw in the Premier League.
After breaking their Seagull hoodoo at the Amex last season, West Ham were still on the hunt for their maiden Premier League victory over Brighton at the London Stadium. They entered Saturday's match on the back of good form, unlike their visitors, who hadn't tasted victory in four matches.
Julen Lopetegui's side started brightly on home soil, seeking to exploit Brighton's high defensive line through long balls and switches of play. Jarrod Bowen, particularly, enjoyed the space afforded to him, drawing the first save out of Bart Verbruggen. The first half, though, turned out to be fairly mundane, with both teams unable to break the deadlock.
Things picked up after the break, as Mats Wieffer volleyed home his first goal for Brighton right after the interval, giving the Seagulls the lead. This joy, though, was short-lived; just six minutes later, West Ham's Mohammed Kudus levelled the score with a clinical finish after capitalizing on Verbruggen's parry from Bowen's shot.
West Ham couldn't push forward to seize the momentum, and Lopetegui made tactical adjustments, shifting to a 5-4-1 formation to establish control without possession. This led to a thrilling back-and-forth battle, where both teams had opportunities, particularly Brighton, who looked the more threatening. Brighton's Yankuba Minteh delivered some dangerous crosses, and Kaoru Mitoma struck the post after combining well with his teammates.
Lukasz Fabianski, West Ham's goalkeeper, proved to be their savior, producing several key saves, including one from Yasin Ayari's close-range effort as stoppage time approached. Despite the end result, neither side moved up the league standings; West Ham remained 14th with 20 points, five points shy of Brighton, who occupied ninth place.
Historically, Brighton has dominated recent encounters at the London Stadium, extending their unbeaten streak to eight matches and establishing their status as West Ham's nemesis. Brighton's manager, Fabian Hurzeler, noted, "I think it’s two points lost because there were plenty of big chances. We weren’t able to score and we weren’t able to keep a clean sheet." This results means West Ham have not managed to win at home against Brighton since their last victory against them at the Amex stadium.
The match showcased some notable players; Bowen was instrumental for West Ham, frequently transitioning the ball and seeking to breach Brighton’s defense. Kudus, who scored the equalizer, has quickly become one of the key figures for the Hammers since joining the team.
Brighton's performance brought some concerns to the fore, as they now face the prospect of another game without success, not having won any of their last five matches. They will host Brentford on Friday, hoping to snap this streak as one bright aspect of their game on Saturday was the resilience they showed after conceding, not dwelling too long on their initial setback.
Looking forward, West Ham will need to carry this momentum as they prepare for their next matchup against Southampton on Boxing Day. With both teams searching for consistency, the Hammers are on the hunt for their first victory over Brighton at home, potentially impacting their Premier League aspirations.
Both teams showed moments of excellence, but converting opportunities is where they need to improve. The draw, though frustrating for both sides, kept the fight for league positioning well and truly alive.
