Jan Paul van Hecke’s late leveller for Brighton leaves a frustrated Wolves side winless in seven Premier League games.
Wolves, who remain bottom with two points, took the lead via an unfortunate first half own goal by Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen after Marshall Munetsi’s strike hit the bar and went back in off the keeper.
Vitor Pereira was sent off for kicking ball in frustration, Wolves pushed on, but missed chances, including Jhon Arias firing over and Jorgen Strand Larsen hitting the post in the hope of giving the hosts a first league victory since April.
It was after a number of subs and tactical changes with 30 minutes left on the clock that had home fans frustrated, and even more so when inviting pressure led to Brighton’s leveller through Van Hecke’s header on 86 minutes.
The 1-1 draw leaves Wolves sitting bottom of the table with 2 points from 7 games played, while Brighton are 12th with 9 points from 7 games played.
Wolves | Johnstone, H Bueno (Wolfe 76), S Bueno, Munetsi (Arokodare 90+1), Andre, J Gomes (Mosquera 90+1), Strand Larsen (Bellegarde 76), Arias, Hwang (Agbadou 60), Krejci, Tchatchoua.
Unused subs | Sa, R Gomes, Hoever, Lopez.
Brighton | Verbruggen, Dunk, van Hecke, Gruda (Tzimas 70), Minteh, Baleba (Rutter 45), Welbeck, Kadioglu, Gomez (Milner 77), Ayari, Wieffer (De Cuyper 70).
Unused subs | Steele, Watson, Kostoulas, Boscagli, Coppola.
Wolves assistant manager Luis Miguel speaking to Sky Sports: “First of all I want to speak about what happened with Vitor. I want to apologies because what Vitor did was a frustration thing with what was happening with our team, not the other team or referee. The ball was there, he kicked the ball, sometimes you kick a bottle of water or something. We lost our minds. I’m sorry, and Vitor will apologise in his next press conference.
“About the game – it’s frustrating, last week against Spurs was the same. Last six minutes conceding a goal, but we keep on. In the end we will see if it is one point gained or two lost.
“Brighton have a very good team, good position in the Premier League, so we know it’s difficult to play against them. We had to defend, but had an opportunity to score a second and finish the game but we didn’t do it. What I promise to our supporters that we will continue to work very hard, the players gave everything to try and win the game. Confidence will come with winning, we know we need three points as soon as possible.”
Luis Miguel: Frustrated for everyone, our players and our staff
We are working hard, focussing on ourselves, keep improving and trying to get our first win #wwfc pic.twitter.com/cDRKOTrLEF
— Nathan Judah (@NathanJudah) October 5, 2025
Wolves defender Ladislav Krejc speaking to Sky Sports: “It’s a big frustration [not to hold on for the win] because again we were very close to doing it, second time in a row.
“First half we scored a goal and had it under control, but then our concentration… I don’t know what it is but we have to go until the end, this cannot happen, we have lost four points in last two matches.
“The first half was much better than the second, second half we stopped playing. Because we knew how much we needed to win we sat back a bit.
“If we think back to how we started the season, we are going up and up. We need to get a clear head during the international break.
“It was a bit in our heads that we wanted to keep the clean sheet and the win.”
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler speaking to Sky Sports: “I think we started quite well, we controlled the game and had chances, but made an easy mistake and conceded out of nowhere. We lost a bit of our rhythm and Wolves had confidence. We always tried, never gave up. Overall we are not happy with a point, but we know why we didn’t win and have positives to take on. We have to analyse, push on and continue.
“Wolves had a lot of players in their own box defending well, but we created a lot of danger and were very dominant in the second half. We have to reduce our own mistakes and work to keep a clean sheet. Then I am sure we will win.
“We have to find solutions [to teams defending deep]. Not every team will defend like Wolves, with so many players with such effort an intensity. I’m sure we can create more in the next game.
“The main thing is to keep a clean sheet and minimise mistakes, and if you score stay in your rhythm. Today we waste time after scoring, we didn’t continue playing like we did before scoring.”
“We are not happy but there are positives.” 💬 Fabian’s thoughts following today’s draw. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Sly5ZMhRtV
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 5, 2025
Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke speaking to Sky Sports: “In the end it’s good we have a point but we came for more. I’m a bit disappointed, it’s a tough team, a lot of long balls and duels. We did well in te second half but I hope we would have scored one more.
“I think second half we did much better, we went side to side and then got some crosses in, some dangerous moments and big chances and good blocks from them. In the end it became a bit wild, both teams gave everything and both were a bit tired.
“They lay in a low block, and when they’re 1-0 up they defend even more. We needed to be more patient sometimes, sometimes we wanted to go forward too much and the wingers went two-v-one, so it became a bit hard. Every game is hard, Wolves are a good team.”
“We came for more!”
Goalscorer Jan Paul Van Hecke reflects on Brighton’s “disappointing” 1-1 draw away at Wolves 💬 pic.twitter.com/NrLSc1ceex
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 5, 2025
Here’s how fans reacted following Van Hecke’s late leveller for Brighton which leaves Wolves winless in seven Premier League games…
@jayson_sheward: Learnt nothing from last week. Soon as the system went from 4 at the back to 5 at the back, we couldn’t get a foot hold & invited wave after wave of pressure. Trying to see a game out, slow playing cost us for being asleep for a set piece none of our team were ready for.
@SwftzRS: do the same thing as last week and expect a different result 🤣
@RK13_4: Failed to capitalise on the momentum 1st half. Shocking subs which invited the pressure. Must win away at Sunderland already in the middle of October
@T_R_U_E_W_O_L_F: You have to feel sorry for Johnstone, Tchatchoua, S.Bueno, Krejci, H.Bueno defending resolutely just for Vitor to sub one non footballer in Hwang for another in Agbadou and try and sit on 1-0 after the same mistakes last week. Vitor needs to go.
@wwfc_chris: Ladislav and Santi have a great partnership. We looked solid until we started making substitutions. I dunno why we have to mess around with the defence when it’s looking decent. We had 4 centre-backs on the pitch at the end.
@__Buche__: I really want to believe in Vitor, but its hard with this type of game management
@simonhe2896032: Two draws that feel like losses, games lost were we have been tactically outthought, this really is poor application for a game plan. Brighton offered NOTHING till we sat back. Really something wrong when you sit back at home with 35 minutes to go against a poor Brighton side.
@wolvesladtom: At what point do fans start questioning Vitor and staff for negative substitutions when we are 1-0 up at home! Criminal, 2 games in a row you have dropped 4 points! 😡
@jon306: All on the manager yet again. You cannot try and defend a 1-0 lead for 30 minutes, it just asks for trouble. Pathetic subs have cost us yet again and we’re 7 games in without a win….again. It’s just not good enough. #wwfc
@rob_wolfphin: Awful again, got exactly what we deserved, tried to defend a 1-0 lead from the 60th minute, really really poor.
@_Saamux: Worst subs possible. Fucking sitting back. Could see Larsens face when he came off and why the fuck can’t Lopez get a game ahead of Hwang. Fuck. Off.
@BullseyeTips: Thats what happens when you play 4-4-2 , go 1-0 up and then take your striker off and go 5 at the back. What a negative attitude to the game. Shambolic. Well done vitor, you are shite in game + offer nothing but negative tactics, last two games you have cost us.
@WhittallClive: That missed opportunity was all about tactics and substitutions, not player performances, and it was shocking ftom an entertainment perspective, too. That’s how to get Wolves fans to turn against their manager. 😡
@JoeJones3387: Awful subs. Awful referee. Awful game. Please practice close ball control before the next game. First touches were awful today. Nothing to be proud of today. Embarrassed ourselves as an outfit
@Boffy_1970: The definition of insanity is keep doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Clueless going to a 5 when they weren’t causing any problems.
@charlie_bish93: Wtf we doing? Sitting back defending a 1 goal lead for 70 game minutes, taking jsl off, with no striker onto the 91st minute? Hwang again, where Rodrigo Gomes?4points dropped last 2 with decisions made
@irishwolf99: Supine, gutless, cowardly, irrational and unlikable. Starting to see why Vitor was headhunted as Fosun’s man given how much they have in common. He’s lost the support of several key players, and he’s certainly lost most of the fans. Get him gone TONIGHT
@JayWolves90: Absolutely embarrassing decisions from Pereira! Best first half of the season to sitting back for 45 mins the second! Taking larsson off and putting Munetsi up front sums it all up! Fuck knows how Rodrigo Gomes and Fer Lopez dont get in this team!
@PeteDunbar87: Cant buy a fucking win. Three year contract… almost certain relegation… we know how this goes now. Buy him out, get someone else, panic buy in January, try and stay up. The same old shit on repeat
