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Greek teen's overhead stunner saves Brighton!
20 Jan
Summary
- Charalampos Kostoulas scored an acrobatic overhead kick equalizer in stoppage time.
- A controversial penalty decision awarded to Bournemouth sparked debate.
- Brighton manager criticized the referee's penalty call but praised Kostoulas.
Brighton's 18-year-old Greek forward, Charalampos Kostoulas, delivered a memorable moment with an acrobatic overhead-kick equalizer in stoppage time. This stunning goal, his first at the Amex Stadium, rescued a point for Brighton after they had trailed Bournemouth due to a controversial first-half penalty. The penalty, awarded after VAR reviewed a challenge by goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen on Amine Adli, was heavily disputed by Brighton's manager.
Manager Fabian Hurzeler expressed frustration with the penalty decision, stating that mere contact should not constitute a foul according to pre-season guidelines. He questioned the consistency of refereeing decisions, even while acknowledging Kostoulas's brilliant equalizer. The Greece Under-21 international, who joined Brighton for £29.78m from Olympiakos, has been praised by teammates like Lewis Dunk as a 'special talent'.
The penalty incident itself drew significant attention, with replays showing minimal contact. The decision sparked widespread debate, especially following a weekend of other contentious VAR calls in the Premier League. While Bournemouth's manager and pundits like Thierry Henry deemed the penalty correct, others, including Jamie Carragher, noted the shift in modern football's interpretation of fouls, with Brighton fans expressing outrage over the perceived injustice.
