Substitute Charalampos Kostoulas scored a stunning bicycle kick in added time as Brighton salvaged a 1-1 draw from a controversial Premier League clash with Bournemouth.
The 18-year-old Greece international levelled in style a minute beyond the 90 by acrobatically dispatching only his second goal in English football into the left corner following 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 £62.5million – remain three points below the 12th-placed Seagulls following the late drama.
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 September 13.
Amine Adli replaced Semenyo in the only alteration to the Cherries team which began the 3-2 top-flight victory over Tottenham 12 days ago, while Kaoru Mitoma made his 100th Premier League appearance in a Brighton side showing four changes from Sunday’s 2-1 FA Cup third-round win at Manchester United.
Morocco winger Adli was at the centre of a major talking point 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, following VAR intervention, deemed Seagulls goalkeeper Verbruggen had caught Adli on the thigh, allowing Tavernier to confidently fire the subsequent spot-kick into the bottom left corner five minutes after the initial incident.
Brighton fans vented their displeasure when replays of the adjudged foul were shown on big screens inside the ground before their frustration was heightened by unmarked midfielder Jack Hinshelwood heading straight at Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic from a Pascal Gross corner.
Cherries forward Evanilson dinked against the base of the left post, albeit he was flagged offside, and then nodded narrowly wide following 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.
Mitoma side-footed wide of the top-right corner as he sought to mark his milestone outing with a goal before penalty appeals were waved away when Van Hecke went to ground in Bournemouth’s 18-yard box following a collision with Alex Scott at a corner.
Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler brought on Carlos Baleba, Yankuba Minteh and Georginio Rutter for the final 24 minutes in an effort to spark a comeback as Bournemouth began to tire and took opportunities to run down the clock.
A sizzling strike from Minteh forced Petrovic to tip over with seven minutes remaining before Van Hecke sliced off target.
Brighton were given eight minutes of added to find a leveller but needed less than one.
Olivier Boscagli swung in a cross from the left and, after Van Hecke headed down, teenager Kostoulas – on for Danny Welbeck in the 77th minute – chested the ball into the air before finishing in style.
