Britain Premier League Soccer Brighton and Hove Albion's Georginio Rutter celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion v West Ham United, in Brighton, England, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP) (PA Wire) (Gareth Fuller/AP)
Britain Premier League Soccer Brighton and Hove Albion's Georginio Rutter, centre, celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion v West Ham United, in Brighton, England, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP) (PA Wire) (Gareth Fuller/AP)
Britain Premier League Soccer Crystal Palace's Eddie Nketiah, second left, scores his sides first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Crystal Palace, in London, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP) (PA Wire) (John Walton/AP)
Britain Premier League Soccer Crystal Palace's Eddie Nketiah, second left, scores his sides first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Crystal Palace, in London, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP) (PA Wire) (John Walton/AP)
Britain Premier League Soccer Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix, left, and Fulham's Raul Jimenez battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Crystal Palace, in London, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP) (PA Wire) (John Walton/AP)
Georginio Rutter scored his first goal of the Premier League season in stoppage time and Brighton salvaged a 1-1 home draw against West Ham on Sunday to stay in contention for the European spots.
Rutter found a gap between West Ham defenders to grab the equalizer with a shot from close range one minute into second-half added time. The goal was confirmed following a video review for a possible handball by the player in the buildup.
Jarrod Bowen had put the visitors ahead with an angled shot in the 73rd.
It was the second straight league match without a win for Brighton, which is in seventh place with 23 points from 15 matches.
West Ham, winless in its last four league games, stayed 18th and inside the relegation zone.
The Premier League title race was blown open on Saturday after Aston Villa struck in stoppage time to beat Arsenal 2-1, cutting the Gunners' lead to just two points after second-placed Manchester City beat Sunderland 3-0.
Villa was a point further back in third. Liverpool's troubled title defense stumbled again when it dropped more points at Leeds.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
