April 26, (THEWILL) – Brighton and Hove Albion clinched a 3-2 victory against West Ham United at the Amex Stadium on Saturday. Carlos Baleba’s stunning stoppage-time strike from distance sealed the comeback, propelling Brighton to ninth place in the English Premier League standings. The result keeps their European qualification hopes alive with four matches remaining in the season. West Ham, despite the loss, remain 17th, safely 15 points clear of the relegation zone following Ipswich Town’s defeat to Newcastle United.
The match began with Brighton taking an early lead in the 13th minute through Yasin Ayari’s composed finish. West Ham responded swiftly, with Tomas Soucek striking the crossbar from a towering header. Brighton thought they had doubled their advantage in the 36th minute when Simon Adingra scored, but a VAR review disallowed the goal due to Danny Welbeck’s offside interference during Alphonse Areola’s double save against Pervis Estupinan and Mats Wieffer.
West Ham mounted a comeback in the second half, levelling the score just three minutes after the restart. Mohammed Kudus capitalised on Jarrod Bowen’s low cross, slotting the ball through Bart Verbruggen’s legs. Soucek then put West Ham ahead in the 83rd minute, heading in Bowen’s curling delivery at the far post. The visitors appeared set for their first victory in nearly two months, but Brighton refused to concede defeat.
The Seagulls fought back late in the game, with Kaoru Mitoma equalising in the 89th minute. The Japanese winger nodded in from close range after being left unmarked near the six-yard box. In stoppage time, Baleba delivered the decisive blow, unleashing a spectacular long-range effort that left West Ham’s defence and former Brighton manager Graham Potter stunned, securing the three points for the hosts.
This result strengthens Brighton’s push for a European spot, with their dynamic attacking play and late heroics proving pivotal. West Ham, just hovering above the drop zone, face questions about their consistency as the season nears its conclusion.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
