Wolves 2 Fulham 1 - Report

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Pedro Neto both came off in a disastrous first 45 for the hosts.

But Wolves rallied with a fast start to the second half, as Rayan Ait-Nouri netted just seven minutes after the restart.

Wolves remained in control of the game and scored a second when Nelson Semedo’s shot took a huge deflection.

Alex Iwobi flicked home a 98th minute goal but Wolves held on to keep themselves firmly in the race for European football.

Analysis

Gary O’Neil made three changes to the side that lost at Newcastle and made a shock switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Craig Dawson missed out through injury and joined Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha on the treatment table, as Toti Gomes and Tommy Doyle dropped to the bench.

Santi Bueno, Joao Gomes and Nathan Fraser came into the starting XI. For 19-year-old Fraser, it meant a first Premier League start.

Young 18-year-old striker Leon Chiwome was also named on the bench for the first time.

Marco Silva named an unchanged Fulham side, who started in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Joao Palhinha returned from suspension but only made the bench, while former Wolves attacker Adama Traore was also among the substitutes.

Neto and Pablo Sarabia had early chances to shoot but both hesitated in the box and their chances got away from them.

Andreas Pereira then had a shot saved by Jose Sa.

Wolves suffered an early injury blow when Bellegarde needed treatment for several minutes before being replaced by Doyle after just 11 minutes. As a result, Mario Lemina moved to the left side.

A superb cross-field ball from Max Kilman then set up a Wolves attack that saw Semedo reach the byline and put in a low cross that was begging for a touch.

Fulham should have scored when Iwobi’s through ball between Bueno and Kilman put Harry Wilson through on goal with just Sa to beat, but he shot wide.

At the other end, Ait-Nouri was almost through but goalkeeper Bernd Leno was quick off his line to smother the chance.

Fulham missed another glorious chance when Harrison Reed’s low ball found Tosin Adarabioyo at the back post, with the goal at his mercy, and he struck the bar.

Disaster struck for Wolves just before half-time when Neto ran at full speed towards the byline and instantly pulled up with a hamstring injury. He signalled to the bench to come off and walked down the tunnel, as Wolves played a few minutes with 10 men before Toti replaced him and Wolves switched to a back five.

The teams entered half-time drawing 0-0.

Wolves started the second half sharply and won the ball back in Fulham’s half before springing an attack. They screamed for a penalty for a push on Lemina, but it was not given.

Fulham then took aim through Wilson, but his curled effort from distance was just wide of the post.

After 52 minutes, Wolves capitalised on their strong start to the half by taking the lead. Doyle’s free-kick was headed poorly by Fulham’s Calvin Bassey and it fell for Toti, who put in a low cross to Ait-Nouri who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Wolves almost had a second when Lemina played in Fraser, but his shot was saved.

Molineux erupted when Wolves took a 2-0 lead. A nice move resulted in Semedo receiving the ball and his shot took a huge deflection and wrong-footed Leno.

Palhinha, who was already on a booking for a strong tackle, smashed Ait-Nouri and could have been sent off, but referee Tony Harrington refrained and Wolves were furious.

With Wolves hanging on, Sa saved before Kilman headed off the line to keep the clean sheet.

Adama caused panic among the Wolves ranks with a trademark run and shot, which Sa was equal to, before Toti’s smart tackle denied Palhinha.

Wolves almost had a third when Ait-Nouri played in Lemina, but he curled wide.

Iwobi’s late flick found the back of the net but Wolves hung on to their lead to claim an important three points at Molineux.

Key Moments

GOAL 52 Ait-Nouri smashes the ball into the roof of the net to give Wolves the lead

GOAL 67 Semedo’s deflected shot puts Wolves 2-0 up

GOAL 98 Iwobi scores for Fulham

Teams

Wolves: Sa, Semedo, S.Bueno, Kilman, Ait-Nouri, Gomes, M.Lemina, Bellegarde (Doyle, 11), Sarabia, Neto (Toti, 45), Fraser (Doherty, 77).

Subs not used: Bentley, H.Bueno, Traore, N.Lemina, Chirewa, Chiwome.

Fulham: Leno, Castagne (Broja, 79), Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson, Reed (Cairney, 61), Lukic (Palhinha,70), Wilson (Adama, 70), Pereira (Willian, 61), Iwobi, Muniz.

Subs not used: Rodak, Ream, Tete, Decordova-Reid.