West Ham comes from behind twice, draws 2-2 with Brighton

Posted December 27, 2020 6:00 am

The Associated Press

West Ham's Tomas Soucek, right, scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham and Brighton in London, England, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, Pool) The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) - Tomas Soucek scored for the third time in his last five Premier League games to earn West Ham a 2-2 draw against Brighton, which threw away the lead twice at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday.

The giant Czech Republic midfielder saw the ball ricochet into the net off the side of his face after Brighton captain Lewis Dunk only got a glancing touch to a clearing header from a corner.

Dunk had earlier put Brighton ahead for the second time with a goal that also had a hint of fortune about it. It also came from a corner, with Dunk prodding home from close range after the ball bounced into his path off his hip following an attempted headed clearance from Andriy Yarmolenko.

If Brighton had held on, the south-coast team would have jumped four points clear of the bottom three.

Neal Maupay gave Brighton the lead in the 44th with a shot from eight yards (meters) after he latched onto a loose ball in the box.

Ben Johnson equalized with his first goal in senior football. The 20-year-old full back, who is the nephew of former England defender Paul Parker and the cousin of another, Ledley King, slotted home a finish in the 60th after substitute Manuel Lanzini scrambled a pass to him inside the area.

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West Ham's Tomas Soucek, center, scores his side's second goal with a header during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham and Brighton in London, England, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. (Paul Childs/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Brighton's Lewis Dunk punches the ground after the final whistle during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham and Brighton in London, England, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. (Justin Setterfield/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Brighton's Lewis Dunk, second left, scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham and Brighton in London, England, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. (Neil Hall/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

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