BRIGHTON, England (Reuters) – Brighton & Hove Albion came from behind to beat West Ham United 3-1 at the Amex Stadium on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday, in a result that puts the seventh-placed Hammers in the Europa Conference League next season.
The visitors took the lead in the 40th minute through Michail Antonio, who chested down a long throw-in on the edge of the area, spun round past Brighton defender Lewis Dunk and blasted his shot into the top far corner.
With Manchester United losing at Crystal Palace at that point, the Hammers were on course to leapfrog United into the Europa League qualification places.
But Brighton’s Joel Veltman equalised in the 50th minute with his first goal of the season, drilling in a low shot under Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Pascal Gross then put the Seagulls in front in the 80th minute with a left-footed shot into the top left corner to put the Hammers back below United in the table.
Danny Welbeck added a third goal for Brighton in the closing minutes to guarantee the home side a ninth-placed finish – their highest-ever in the Premier League.
(Writing by Hugh Lawson; editing by Clare Fallon)
