December concluded without a victory for either West Ham United or Brighton & Hove Albion, as their final Premier League fixture of a gruelling month ended in a frantic 2-2 draw at the London Stadium.
Penalty Drama Defines Chaotic First Half
The match exploded into life with an unprecedented flurry of spot-kicks. West Ham took the lead after just 10 minutes through their captain, Jarrod Bowen, who finished coolly after being played through by Lucas Paquetá.
Brighton were then handed a rapid double chance to equalise from the penalty spot. Danny Welbeck converted the first, awarded for a Maximilian Kilman foul on Yankuba Minteh. However, his attempted Panenka for the second penalty – given after Paquetá hauled down Lewis Dunk – rebounded off the crossbar.
The first-half penalty drama was not finished. In added time, Lewis Dunk was adjudged to have handled a Callum Wilson shot, and Lucas Paquetá made no mistake to restore West Ham's lead with a composed finish just before the interval.
Veltman Strikes to Secure a Point
The second half began as frenetically as the first ended. Brighton thought they had won another penalty when Kaoru Mitoma went down, but the Video Assistant Referee ruled against it.
From the resulting corner, West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola could only palm the ball to the edge of the area. Dutch defender Joël Veltman controlled the loose ball and volleyed home to level the scores for a second time.
West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo's decision to substitute Callum Wilson after the hour mark was met with disapproval from sections of the home crowd. The hosts survived late pressure, with Areola making crucial saves from Mitoma and Georginio Rutter to ensure the points were shared.
Mid-Table Stalemate for Winless Sides
The result does little to aid either team's ambitions. For a Brighton side that was challenging near the top of the table at the start of December, a slide towards mid-table is now a reality.
West Ham's winless run extended to eight games, leaving them just four points above the relegation zone after Nottingham Forest's defeat. Nuno has already signalled the January transfer window as "very important" for his squad, with attacking reinforcements a clear priority.
This was only the second Premier League game in history to see three first-half penalties awarded, encapsulating a bizarre and entertaining encounter that ultimately provided scant reward for either team's efforts in a demanding month.
