Oct 15, 2017 at 1.30pm UK at ​Falmer Stadium
Attendance: 30,565
BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion
1-1
Everton
Knockaert (82')
Propper (56'), Dunk (67'), Knockaert (88'), Bruno (88')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Rooney (90' pen.)
Mirallas (93')

Result: Wayne Rooney secures late Everton draw

Result: Wayne Rooney secures late Everton draw
© Offside
Wayne Rooney nets a late penalty as Everton come from one goal behind to draw 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion in Sunday's Premier League clash at the Falmer Stadium.

Wayne Rooney netted a late penalty as Everton came from one goal behind to draw 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion in Sunday's Premier League clash at the Falmer Stadium.

Anthony Knockaert's strike eight minutes from time looked to be securing all three points for the hosts, but Rooney's 90th-minute spot kick ensured that the Toffees would leave with a share of the spoils.

Brighton boss Chris Hughton made three changes to the team that started their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal before the international break. Markus Suttner replaced Gaetan Bong at left-back, while Knockaert took the place of Jose Izquierdo. There was also a change up front as Glenn Murray replaced Isaiah Brown.

As for Everton, Ronald Koeman also made three changes to the team that lost at home to Burnley – Rooney coming in for Oumar Niasse up top, and Mason Holgate and Phil Jagielka replacing Cuco Martina and Ashley Williams in defence.

It was Everton that took control of the possession in the early exchanges, but aside from a strike from Gylfi Sigurdsson - which was blocked by Brighton centre-back Lewis Dunk - chances were few and far between in the opening 10 minutes of football.

Idrissa Gueye tested Brighton goalkeeper Mathew Ryan with a decent strike in the 19th minute, before Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed a Sigurdsson free kick over the crossbar five minutes later as Everton continued to look the most likely to make the breakthrough at the Falmer Stadium.

Brighton had a penalty shout on the 30-minute mark when Michael Keane appeared to block Dunk's close-range effort with his arm, but the referee was not interested, much to the frustration of the home supporters.

Gueye sent one just wide of Ryan's post 10 minutes before the break, but that was just about it in terms of opportunities in the latter stages of the first half, with the two teams heading down the tunnel at 0-0.

It was Everton that had just the game's second shot on target in the 53rd minute, but Holgate's strike did not have enough power to beat Ryan, who then kept out a header from Calvert-Lewin moments later.

Nikola Vlasic was next to have a shooting opportunity for the away side just before the hour, but the summer signing slipped at the final moment, and his effort drifted harmlessly wide of the Brighton post.

Sigurdsson sent a low free kick just wide of the Brighton post 20 minutes from time, and that prompted a change for the visitors as Niasse entered the field as Koeman looked for a solution in the final third of the field.

Calvert-Lewin had a wonderful chance to register for Everton in the 74th minute after shrugging off the attentions of Brighton captain Bruno inside the penalty area, but Ryan was on hand to make another save.

Knockaert then had one deflected just wide of the post down the other end as both teams started to commit players in the final third of the field.

Everton had a big penalty shout 10 minutes from time when Pascal Gross looked to have pulled Sigurdsson's shirt inside the penalty area, but the referee was not interested.

It was Brighton that made the breakthrough in the 82nd minute when Knockaert smashed the ball through the legs of Jordan Pickford after Everton had failed to clear their lines following a couple of blocked attempts.

Brown almost doubled Brighton's lead with a powerful strike in the 87th minute, but Everton goalkeeper Pickford was on hand to make a smart save.

Everton were handed the chance to level from the penalty spot in the 90th minute, however, when Brighton captain Bruno caught Calvert-Lewin with an elbow inside the box.

It was Rooney that stepped forward for the Toffees, and the former England captain found the bottom corner as Everton secured a share of the spoils at the Falmer Stadium.

The turnaround was almost completed late on when Kevin Mirallas was first to react to a loose ball inside the box, but Ryan made another smart save as Brighton's impressive home form continued.

Everton striker Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring during his side's Europa League clash with Apollon Limassol at Goodison Park on September 28, 2017
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