Brighton and Hove Albion 1 Bournemouth 1
A stunning overhead kick by Charalampos Kostoulas salvaged a point for Brighton and Hove Albion in stoppage time.
The 18-year-old Greece international levelled in style a minute into added time by acrobatically dispatching only his second goal in English football from Jan Paul van Hecke’s knock-down.
Bournemouth had looked set to snatch a contentious victory at the Amex Stadium, having led since Marcus Tavernier’s hotly disputed 32nd-minute penalty.
But the Cherries – playing in the top flight for first time since selling 10-goal top scorer Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City for £62.5 million – remain three points below the Seagulls after the late comeback.
Andoni Iraola’s side made the near 100-mile journey along the south coast seeking back-to-back league victories for the first time since beating Brighton 2-1 on Saturday 13 September – off the back of a victory over Spurs.
Amine Adli replaced Semenyo in the only change to the Cherries team which began the 3-2 top-flight victory over Tottenham 12 days ago.
For Brighton, Kaoru Mitoma made his 100th Premier League appearance in a side with four changes from the 2-1 FA Cup third round win at Manchester United on Sunday 11 January.
Morocco winger Adli was at the centre of a controversy in the 27th minute when he went down in the box after beating Seagulls goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to Tavernier’s low cross from the left.
Referee Paul Tierney initially produced a yellow card for diving but, after a video review, concluded that Verbruggen had caught Adli on the thigh.
Tavernier confidently fired the subsequent spot-kick into the bottom left-hand corner five minutes after the initial incident.
Brighton fans vented their displeasure when replays of the foul were shown on big screens inside the ground.
Their frustration was heightened when unmarked midfielder Jack Hinshelwood headed straight at Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic from a Pascal Gross corner.
Cherries forward Evanilson dinked against the base of the left post, although he was flagged offside, and then nodded narrowly wide from Adrien Truffert’s cross as the visitors pushed for a second.
Boos and chants of “you’re not fit to referee” rang around the stadium as match official Tierney left the pitch at half-time.
Brighton, who faded after a good start in the opening period, resumed with renewed purpose.
