Five opening day Wolves games to remember
As Wolves prepare to kick off their Premier League campaign today against Everton, the Express & Star has looked at five memorable opening day games in recent years.
2008 – Plymouth (A), 2-2
Sam Vokes came off the bench to score a late equaliser for Wolves, in this Championship opener against Plymouth on August 9, 2008. They trailed twice with Rory Fallon scoring early on for Plymouth. Michael Kightly levelled the scores after volleying in a Kevin Foley cross before Marcel Seip made it 2-1. But Vokes rescued a point for Wolves scoring 12 minutes from time, with the game ending 2-2. While boss Mick McCarthy would have wanted a win, Wolves went on to win their next seven games and eventually win Premier League promotion.
2010 – Stoke (h), 2-1
David Jones scored a spectacular free-kick to open the scoring in this thrilling Premier League opener against Stoke on August 14, 2010. Wolves won 2-1 at Molineux, during their second season in the top flight. Jones got the ball rolling, literally, after flicking up a short pass from Karl Henry’s free-kick, on the edge of the box, before powerfully volleying the ball into the top right corner. Steve Fletcher nodded in the second before half-time while Abdoulaye Faye pulled one back from Stoke. Wolves failed to win their next eight games but survived relegation, finishing 17th.
2011 – Blackburn (a), 2-1
Premier League Wolves came from behind to beat Blackburn 2-1 on August 13, 2011, playing away in their first game of the season. Blackburn took the lead through debutant Mauro Formica but Wolves equalised immediately through Steven Fletcher who headed home a Matt Jarvis cross at the back post. Kevin Doyle missed a penalty, but then Stephen Ward scored prompting frantic scenes. Wolves won and drew their next two games, before losing five and eventually finished rock-bottom, getting relegated.
2016 – Rotherham (A), 2-2
Wolves began their new chapter under owners Fosun and boss Walter Zenga with a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to Rotherham in the Championship, on August 6, 2016. Wolves went 2-0 down after Danny Ward opened the scoring with a header from a corner, before Will Vaulks struck home a stunning 25-yard effort. But Wolves fought back, with George Saville rounding the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson equalising with a well-placed effort inside the box. The Icelandic clap was born, but Zenga was later sacked after 14 games, and replaced by Paul Lambert.
2017 – Middlesbrough (H), 1-0
This was the start of the unforgettable, rollercoaster campaign, under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo, and it came with a 1-0 win at home to Middlesbrough in the Championship, on August 5, 2017. Leo Bonatini scored the decisive goal, pouncing on a wayward back pass before dribbling on to the edge of the box and coolly slotting into the bottom left corner. Wolves went on to comfortably win the Championship to the Premier League in Nuno’s first season in charge. Now he prepares for their new chapter in England’s top flight.
