Brighton & Hove Albion appeared poised to begin with a hard-fought three points against Fulham at the American Express Stadium—until Rodrigo Muniz intervened in the dying embers of stoppage time to snatch a point in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
Brighton had taken control on the scoreboard midway through the second half. After a scrappy, cagey first 45 minutes that saw few clear-cut chances despite Brighton’s control of possession, referee Sam Barrott awarded a penalty in the 55th minute when Sander Berge’s challenge felled Georginio Rutter in the box.
Matt O’Riley stepped up and clinically dispatched his spot-kick into Bernd Leno’s net, giving the home side a slender advantage.
From that point, Brighton looked increasingly dominant. Yankuba Minteh, Diego Gómez, and Brajan Gruda all dragged opportunities wide or failed to convert what seemed like match-sealing chances.
Brighton’s inability to extend their lead echoed a familiar frustration—an all-too-ready reminder of the 22 points they surrendered from winning positions last season.
Fulham, by contrast, had been largely subdued in the first half, with scant attacking threat. An early contender for a penalty when 18-year-old Josh King went down in the Brighton box failed to materialise, despite Fulham’s pleas.
King, however, would emerge as a standout figure for Fulham. Making a composed and confident debut, the academy graduate showcased exceptional ball-carrying and maturity beyond his years.
His display earned praise from manager Marco Silva and the admiration of those watching—he was named Player of the Match by several outlets.
Notably, Fulham’s transfer activity had been subdued—just one new signing, backup goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte, joined the squad, leaving Silva visibly frustrated with what he termed a “passive” window.
As the clock ticked into the sixth minute of stoppage time—allowing for what felt like Brighton’s long-sealed fate—a late corner swung by Harry Wilson landed at the far post where fresh-faced substitute Rodrigo Muniz pounced.
The Brazilian striker chested down the delivery and fired into the bottom corner, sparking elation among the away supporters and vows of “We want you to stay” echoing around the stadium.
For Fulham, the strike was redemption, a lifeline. Silva’s face told of relief and joy, with Muniz celebrated as the emergent hero. The manager commended his striker for the connection he made with the fans under intense emotional pressure.
Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler, still only 32 and rapidly evolving his coaching philosophy, had a mix of pride and frustration in his post-match remarks.
He lauded the performances of Carlos Baleba—whose presence in midfield had bought them balance—and called the result “painful,” firmly believing that a second goal would have made victory secure.