Adam Webster’s 60th minute header earned Brighton a Premier League draw against Chelsea, who missed the chance to go second.
In a game brought forward due to Chelsea’s upcoming involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup, the home side earned their 11th draw of the season just as they did in the reverse fixture last month.
Chelsea kept up their record of never being behind at half time when Hakim Ziyech’s second league goal of the season put them 1-0 up before Webster levelled affairs on the South Coast. Brighton remain in ninth place but are just three points off a European place.
Brighton started the brighter, with loud chants of “Seagulls” surrounding the Amex Stadium. Jakub Moder and Cesar Azpilicueta had the best chances early on.
Ziyech, who missed out on a place with the Moroccan national side at the African Cup of Nations, struck a low shot past Seagulls goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after an initial one-two with French World Cup winner N’Golo Kante,
Brighton threatened once again in the second half and got their rewards just after the hour mark when Alexis Mac Allister’s corner found an unmarked Webster whose bullet header beat Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. They continued to threaten and made some attacking substitutions as they searched for their first ever league win over the Blues, with Neal Maupay and Leandro Trossard coming off the bench. Both sides had their chances late on, but neither could find a winner.
