Mohammed Kudus earns draw for West Ham against Brighton

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Mohammed Kudus earned West Ham a constituent against bogey broadside Brighton successful a 1-1 tie astatine the London Stadium.

The Ghana winger headed his 3rd of the season, and his first since completing a five-match prohibition for his reddish paper astatine Tottenham successful October, to cancel retired Mats Wieffer’s maiden extremity for Brighton.

The Seagulls came closest to grabbing a victor but were incapable to forestall their tally without a triumph stretching to 5 matches.

However, they did support their grounds of not losing astatine the London Stadium successful each 8 of their Premier League visits.

Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke will astir apt not retrieve overmuch astir the first half aft getting accidentally kicked successful the caput by team-mate Carlos Baleba astatine a corner, but it was a tepid opening 45 minutes.

A agelong shot from Konstantinos Mavropanos sent Jarrod Bowen scampering done early on, pinch the Hammers skipper getting successful down Pervis Estupinan only to spot his angled changeable saved by Bart Verbruggen.

For Brighton, Joao Pedro’s tiny spot successful the area recovered Kaoru Mitoma, whose crisp volley was beaten distant by Lukasz Fabianski.

But a dismal first half was champion summed up erstwhile Hammers full-back Emerson Palmieri reached the byline and pulled the shot backmost to Lucas Paqueta, who launched a first-time changeable good complete the crossbar.

Brighton livened up proceedings 7 minutes into the 2nd half erstwhile Lewis Dunk went up to situation Fabianski for Estupinan’s far-post cross.

The shot squirmed retired to Dutch midfielder Wieffer, who lashed it backmost first clip past Fabianski from 12 yards out.

Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug had been handed a long-awaited afloat Premier League debut aft an injury-hit commencement to his West Ham profession pursuing a big-money summertime move from Borussia Dortmund.

But aft 56 underwhelming minutes, and conscionable 2 touches successful the guidance punishment area, the 31-year-old was replaced by Crysencio Summerville.

Moments later West Ham equalised, Tomas Soucek’s shot sending Bowen racing towards extremity again.

The England guardant was held up by Dunk and Joel Veltman but still sewage his changeable away, and arsenic Verbruggen parried the shot it sat up for Kudus to motion successful the rebound.

Brighton almost snatched the triumph but Fabianski made a good guidance prevention from Yasin Ayari’s deflected changeable and Yankuba Minteh’s transverse for Mitoma was deflected onto a post.

Seagulls substitute Evan Ferguson past miskicked from six yards and Fabianski saved pinch his legs to contradict Ayari successful stoppage clip arsenic West Ham clung connected for a point.