Wolves 0 Watford 2 - Report and pictures
Wolves fell to their first home defeat of the season as they failed to recover from two goals within a minute against Watford.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side went into the Molineux clash on a six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League but were uncharacteristically off the pace, especially in the first half.
Etienne Capuoue's long-range strike put the Hornets ahead 20 minutes in and Roberto Pereyra capitalised on a lapse in concentration to make it two seconds later.
Wolves are now eighth in the table, the Hornets seventh.
Analysis
There were fears the international break may have come at a bad time for Wolves – and this was their worst display of the campaign.
They lacked their usual speed and flair, writes Joe Edwards at Molineux.
Jonny Castro Otto was hauled off at half-time after a sluggish performance at left-wing back and Matt Doherty was kept quiet on the other side. Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho lost the midfield battle against first goalscorer Etienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucoure too.
The difference-maker for Watford was how quickly they got up the pitch, particularly for the second goal. Roberto Pereyra, Isaac Success and Gerard Deulofeu linked up to great effect.
Wolves just could not match that. They did not carry a genuine goal threat.
Raul Jimenez cut an isolated figure before going off on the hour mark while the story of the season continued for Diogo Jota and Helder Costa – both worked hard, but were not anywhere near their best.
It was the same starting line-up for the ninth game running and some of them just seemed tired. The Hornets looked a yard or two quicker.
Ruben Vinagre, Ivan Cavaleiro and Adama Traore all came off the bench and Vinagre was Wolves' best performer.
It would be surprising to see the XI remain for the trip to Brighton next weekend.
Match report
There was one change to the Wolves bench from the Crystal Palace victory as Vinagre came in for Morgan Gibbs-White.
Watford were without talisman Troy Deeney due to a minor hamstring injury. They did not miss him, though. Deulofeu and Success led the line for the Hornets and caused the hosts all sorts of problems.
Nuno's men began well enough. An inswinging Moutinho corner found Ryan Bennett, whose header was tipped over the crossbar by Ben Foster. But with each passing minute, Watford grew in confidence.
Capoue was spraying the ball around confidently and broke forward to put the visitors ahead. Unmarked on the edge of the box, his low drive flew through the legs of Conor Coady and left the unsighted Rui Patricio rooted to the spot.
And, almost instantly, the Hornets doubled their advantage. Wolves were caught napping. Pereyra timed his run to perfection before coolly lobbing Patricio.
A fair few groans, understandably, started to ring around Molineux. Neves lunged in on Will Hughes and was booked. Jimenez dragged a shot wide prior to the much-welcome interval as well.
Nuno made a switch for the start of the second period. Vinagre replaced Jonny, who had been given the runaround and was not up to his usual standards.
They looked brighter after the change too. Vinagre was keen to get up the pitch and support the attack while Costa was having more of an influence.
But Wolves still could not find a way through – Willy Boly's back-heel was gathered by Foster and Jota, just as he was about to shoot, was tackled inside the area – so Nuno made a second substitution. Jimenez made way for Cavaleiro.
Record signing Traore was introduced shortly after as well for Doherty, shifting to a 4-3-3 formation.
Ultimately, though, it was to no avail and Jota and Bennett were cautioned as Watford saw out a deserved victory.
Key moments
20 - Goal! Watford take the lead through Capoue with a brilliant strike from long range. The visitors attack down the right wing before Doucoure pulls it back to Capoue in the centre of the park, and he hits the ball first time with a powerful low drive into the bottom left corner. Patricio didn’t move from his spot.
21 - Goal! Watford make the score 2-0 straight after the Wolves kick-off. They win the ball before bursting down the centre of the pitch and Doucoure provides the assist again, this time teeing up Pereyra in the box and he curls the ball into the top right corner with the outside of his foot..
25 - Boly commits a foul with a late challenge on Success on the edge of the penalty area and Watford win a free-kick. It’s a dangerous position but the free-kick hits the wall.
35 - Neves gets a yellow card for a late sliding tackle on Hughes.
56 - Tenacious work from Costa down the right wing. He beats his man with pace and evades a challenge before dinking a lovely cross into the box that that just misses any Wolves heads.
69 - Watford break on the counter-attack down the left wing before Doucoure is played through on goal but Neves tracks back brilliantly to block his shot.
73 - Costa and Cavaleiro interchange well down the right wing from a throw-in before Moutinho is teed up in the centre, just outside the box, and he launches a curling shot which spins just over the crossbar.
79 - Vinagre makes space for himself down the left wing before whipping in a cross for Cavaleiro who heads the ball just over the crossbar.
82 - Wolves win a free-kick from 30-yards out after a foul on Traore and up steps Neves, who curls the ball over the top left corner.
87 - Jota loops the ball across the penalty area to Cavaleiro who pulls it back for Costa, who is in space inside the box, and he fires just over the crossbar.
89 - Costa curls the ball just over the top left corner from the edge of the box but the ball takes a deflection.
Teams
Wolves (3-4-3): Patricio; Bennett, Coady (c), Boly; Doherty (Traore, 72), Neves, Moutinho, Otto (Vinagre, 46); Costa, Jimenez (Cavaleiro, 60), Jota
Subs: Hause, Saiss, Bonatini, Ruddy (gk)
Watford (4-4-2): Foster; Femenia, Cathcart, Mariappa (c), Masina; Hughes, Capoue, Doucoure, Pereyra; Deulofeu (Gray, 69), Success (Prodl, 75) (Wilmot, 90)
Subs: Navarro, Quina, Sema, Gomes (gk)
Goals: Capoue (20), Pereyra (21)
Attendance: 31,144
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
League position
8th (16 points from nine matches)
Next up
Wolves travel to face Brighton next Saturday, kick-off 3pm.
