Wayne Rooney’s 90th-minute penalty earned Everton a point against Brighton in a largely unremarkable encounter at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton looked set to secure their third successive home league win when Anthony Knockaert slotted home in the 82nd minute after Jose Izquierdo’s shot was blocked by Michael Keane.
But with the clock ticking down, defender Bruno, whose good work led to the Seagulls’ goal, elbowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the area as a free-kick was floated in.
Former England striker Rooney sent Mat Ryan the wrong way with his spot-kick, but the Australian rescued his side when he twice saved from substitute Kevin Mirallas in the closing seconds.
Lacklustre Everton frustrate again
Were it not for Bruno’s late indiscretion, it is likely Everton would have fallen to their fifth league defeat in eight league matches.
Bar an effort from Nikola Vlasic and a firm angled strike by Mason Holgate, they did little to cause panic in Brighton’s organised and lusty backline, once again admirably led by Lewis Dunk.
The visitors did come close to snatching all three points in the final seconds, but that would have been akin to paint covering damp.
Rooney was impotent up front and £45m signing Gylfi Sigurdsson once again looked off-key – he had one effort on goal, a 20-yard free-kick which, uncharacteristically, flew very wide.
Nearly £150m was spent to improve this Everton squad in the summer, but they have scored only seven goals in their past 13 league matches under Koeman, and more pertinently have two wins in eight games.
The Toffees, who move up one place to 16th, next host Arsenal in the league.
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Source: BBC