West Ham 2-2 Brighton: Veltman salvages draw after penalty drama

West Ham ended a run of three successive Premier League losses with a pulsating 2-2 draw against Brighton in a match that saw drama in both penalty areas.

Three first-half penalties were awarded, and despite Brighton twice coming from behind, West Ham closed the gap to 17th-placed Nottingham Forest to four points.

Against the run of play, Jarrod Bowen slotted Nuno Espirito Santo’s side into a 10th-minute lead while one-on-one with Bart Verbruggen.

However, that advantage was short-lived as Danny Welbeck sent Alphonse Areola the wrong way with a clinical penalty in the 32nd minute after Maximilian Kilman had brought down Yankuba Minteh in the box.

And just three minutes later, the referee pointed to the spot again after Lucas Paqueta wrestled Lewis Dunk, but Welbeck chipped an audacious effort onto the bar this time.

That miss was then punished in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, as Paqueta converted from 12 yards after a Dunk handball.

In the 61st minute, Areola failed to deal with a corner and gifted Joel Veltman an equaliser when he pounced from close range, and despite late Brighton pressure, the Seagulls could not find a winner and extended their winless run to six games.

We have to settle for a point in London. pic.twitter.com/pcjfYKqo3e

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 30, 2025

Data Debrief: Penalty pandemonium in the capital

West Ham against Brighton is only the second game in Premier League history to see three first-half penalties awarded, after Fulham (two) against Bolton Wanderers (one) in August 2002.

It is the third time West Ham have conceded two penalties in a Premier League home game, while Paqueta became just the second player to both score and give away a spot-kick in the first half of a match in the competition.

Those chances led to high expected goals (xG) tallies for both teams, with the hosts registering 2.12 to Brighton’s 2.85.

But Bowen quietly sealed a little bit of history in the match. He equalled Michail Antonio for the most combined goals and assists recorded for West Ham in the Premier League (101).