May 04, (THEWILL) – Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak converted a late penalty to see the visitors draw 1-1 with Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton opened the scoring through former Newcastle player Yankuba Minteh, who found the net after 28 minutes with a well-taken finish that deflected off Dan Burn. The first half offered limited opportunities for both teams, with Minteh’s goal standing as the primary moment of significance before the interval.
The match intensified during the second half when Newcastle had two penalty claims overturned. Initially, a foul by Tariq Lamptey on Anthony Gordon was deemed to have occurred outside the area following VAR review. Subsequently, Joe Willock was judged to have simulated contact under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke, resulting in no penalty award.
Newcastle finally received their breakthrough in the 89th minute when substitute Yasin Ayari blocked Fabian Schar’s free-kick with his arm. Isak stepped forward and calmly converted the penalty, bringing Newcastle level and delivering what could prove to be a vital point in their Champions League pursuit.
Both teams pushed for a winner in the final moments. Brighton’s Diego Gomez missed a golden opportunity when he headed wide from Brajan Gruda’s free-kick, while at the other end, Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen produced an excellent save to deny Callum Wilson’s powerful strike. The result leaves Brighton in 10th position, now trailing Brentford and Bournemouth in the competition for European qualification.
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.
