Charalampos Kostoulas scored a stunning late overhead kick to secure a 1-1 draw for Brighton against Bournemouth at the Amex Stadium.
With time ticking down in the first minute of injury time, the 18-year-old forward chested the ball down before acrobatically guiding it into the top corner. It was an effort that justified the £30m that Brighton spent to sign him from Olympiacos just over a year ago.
Charalampos Kostoulas celebrates his eye-catching equaliser for Brighton against Bournemouth
Brighton will feel the equaliser, despite the extraordinary way it arrived, was justified, given their dominance in the second half and the controversial manner in which Bournemouth’s opener was scored.
The Cherries had looked the better side in the first half but Marcus Tavernier’s goal to hand them the lead was clouded by another contentious VAR decision.
Referee Paul Tierney initially booked Amine Adli for simulation after rounding Bart Verbruggen and going down in the area but following a VAR review, the decision was overturned and the card rescinded after deeming the challenge to be sufficient “foul contact”, according to Premier League Match Centre.
Tavernier slotted his spot-kick into the bottom left corner but the visitors sat back after that and squandered yet another lead in the top-flight as a result.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler and Bournemouth counterpart Andoni Iraola unsurprisingly disagreed on the decision, while Thierry Henry, speaking on Monday Night Football, declared it a spot-kick and a goalkeeper intervention that “could have been avoided”.
Sharing the spoils results in both sides remaining where they are in the table, in 12th and 15th respectively, but Hurzeler will be the happier of the two managers given the second-half resurgence and quality of the equaliser.
The big penalty decision – what the managers and pundits said
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Tavernier converts penalty to fire Bournemouth ahead in their Premier League match against Brighton.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler speaking to Sky Sports about Bournemouth’s penalty and conversations with the referee:
“No [didn’t agree with penalty decision]. It is difficult to speak to referees. I think they always have their own opinion.
“It is difficult to have a conversation; it is not about that. They made a decision and we have to accept it, although we don’t agree.
“For me, it is not a penalty. A touch and a contact is not enough; that is what they said to us before the season. It is something we have to accept.”
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola:
“As soon as I saw the replay… Verbruggen also raises his leg a lot and contacts Amine. So I expected the decision.”
Bournemouth’s Amine Adli was initially booked for simulation
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry speaking to Sky Sports:
“It is a penalty. You’re lifting your leg, at the time that you’re hitting the player, the ball is still in play. Regardless on if he can get it or not, it is still in play.
“In the modern day, as we all know, you’re looking at a situation in slow motion. And it was given. Instead of arguing with this right now, whether it was a penalty or not a penalty, it could’ve been avoided. We can clearly see the contact.”
Jamie Carragher, speaking on MNF:
“These type of penalties would not have been given maybe 10 years ago. The ball is still in play and you can see the contact. Adli wouldn’t have got to the ball.”
Watch Kostoulas’ stunning late equaliser!
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Kostoulas scores sensational 90th minute overhead kick for Brighton in their Premier League game against Bournemouth.
Kostoulas: I score overhead kicks all the time in training!
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Charalampos Kostoulas he likes to score bicycle kicks, whilst Lewis Dunk confirmed he’s scored better goals in training.
Brighton goalscorer Charalampos Kostoulas on Sky Sports:
“It’s the first time you’ve seen it but Lewis [Dunk] has seen it a lot in training! I really like this type of scoring.
“The result could be better for us, we really need those three points to help us in the rest of the season.”
Iraola: Kostoulas’ goal was incredible
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola speaking to Sky Sports:
“I think we wanted something to defend in the second half and I think we defended well.
“We are in the moment of the season where everything is against us. We don’t have a little bit of luck. They score an incredible goal, an overhead kick into the top corner.
“You finish with a point, it is a big shame. We are going point by point. We have to keep going. We deserve three points, then something happens and you end up with one.”
