04-05-2025
Isak rescues late point for Newcastle while West Ham stay 17th with Spurs draw
ALEXANDER ISAK'S LATE penalty salvaged Newcastle a 1-1 Premier League draw at Brighton after his side had two second-half spot-kick awards overturned following VAR intervention.
The Magpies striker converted his 27th goal of the season two minutes from time when Seagulls substitute Yasin Ayari was punished for handling a Fabian Schar free-kick.
Referee Craig Pawson had earlier reversed his initial decision after replays showed Anthony Gordon was fouled just outside the box by Tariq Lamptey before doing so again following a dive by Joe Willock.
In their quest to qualify for the Champions League, Newcastle fell behind in the first half when Albion winger Yankuba Minteh opened the scoring against his former club.
A dramatic draw at the Amex Stadium leaves Eddie Howe's side fourth – three points clear of sixth spot.
Brighton, who also harbour European ambitions, remain 10th.
Magpies manager Howe urged his players not to allow their season to 'tail off' as they target a second major prize following Carabao Cup glory.
Harvey Barnes and Willock each fired off target for the visitors during a largely forgettable start to the contest before Brighton snatched a 28th-minute lead.
After Simon Adingra's cross from the left was partially cleared by the head of Tino Livramento, Mats Wieffer quickly recycled the ball, allowing Minteh to cut in from the right and fire into the far corner via a slight deflection off former Seagulls defender Dan Burn.
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Lightning struck twice for the Magpies in the 70th minute when Willock went down in the box following a sliding challenge from Jan Paul van Hecke.
Pawson again pointed to the spot but, following further intervention from VAR, booked Willock for diving on his return from the pitch-side monitor.
Remarkably, Newcastle were awarded a third penalty four minutes from time and – following another lengthy review – this time it stood.
Ayari was punished for inexplicably handling Schar's attempt at goal and Isak duly fired into the bottom-left corner.
Unmarked Brighton midfielder Diego Gomez then somehow headed wide from a free-kick from fellow substitute Brajan Gruda during nine minutes of added time before Callum Wilson forced Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen into a fine save in a breathless finale.
Elsewhere, Jarrod Bowen rescued a point for West Ham as they laboured to a 1-1 draw at home to a second-string Tottenham.
Bowen scored his 10th Premier League goal for the season to cancel out Wilson Odobert's first for Spurs.
With Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou placing all his eggs in the Europa League basket he made eight changes to rest his first-choice players for Thursday night's semi-final second-leg trip to Norway to face Bodo/Glimt.
With Spurs minds clearly elsewhere and West Ham likely wishing away the remainder what has been a dire season, this was a match both teams could have probably done without, and it showed.
The scores of empty seats around the London Stadium for a derby summed up the apathy surrounding the club, who have now collected just 14 points from 15 matches under the increasingly beleaguered Graham Potter.
Not even the battle to avoid finishing as the lowest team in the Premier League outside of the relegation places could liven things up. As it is, West Ham remain in 17th and Spurs just one place above them, still on course for their lowest top-flight finish since they were relegated in 1977.
However, there was the bizarre sight of Lucas Paqueta seemingly in tears after receiving a second-half yellow card for a foul on Mikey Moore – the Brazilian is still awaiting the outcome of the FA hearing into allegations he deliberately got himself booked in four matches.
Tottenham were gifted the lead in the 15th minute when Hammers defender Max Kilman had two stabs at making a pretty routine clearance, but hit Mathys Tel with both of them.
The second time Tel was able to smuggle the ball away and square it across goal, where it was missed by Aaron Cresswell leaving Odobert the simple task of finishing past Alphonse Areola.
But West Ham responded just before the half-hour mark when Bowen beat the offside trap to run on to Aaron Wan-Bissaka's through-ball.
The Hammers skipper scampered into the penalty area, cut inside and slipped the ball through the legs of Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario at his near post.
Evan Ferguson was a late sub on 80 minutes as the score remained 1-1.
Match official Pawson pointed to the penalty spot when Newcastle substitute Gordon, who had also just come on, was felled by Lamptey's outstretched leg.
But, with Isak preparing to take the spot-kick, replays showed the contact was just outside the 18-yard area and a free-kick was awarded.
