After months on the sidelines, Ghanaian international Tariq Lamptey made a much-anticipated return to action for Brighton & Hove Albion in their Premier League encounter against Newcastle United on Sunday.

Lamptey had been out of action since February, missing Brighton’s FA Cup tie against the Magpies and Ghana’s World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar due to injury. But at the London Olympic Stadium, the dynamic right-back stepped back onto the pitch, replacing Mats Wieffer just nine minutes into the second half.

Brighton took the lead through a first-half goal from Gambian forward Yankuba Minteh, but Newcastle clawed back late in the game with a penalty from Swedish striker Alexander Isak, ensuring the points were shared.

With the season nearing its conclusion, Lamptey will be eager to build momentum and impress, especially with his contract set to expire at the end of June. The 23-year-old has been linked with a potential move to Dutch giants Ajax, making his performances in the coming weeks even more crucial.