Match Report
Wolverhampton Wanderers (0) 2-1 (0) Fulham
Premier League Match Day 28 23_24 at Molineux Stadium
Saturday 9th March 2024, KO: 15:00
Referee:
Tony Harrington (Cleveland)
|
Fulham succumbed to a frustrating 2-1 defeat away at Molineux on Saturday afternoon.
After a goalless first half, Rayan Aït-Nouri opened the scoring for the hosts in the 52nd minute before a Tom Cairney own goal put the match beyond doubt. A late Alex Iwobi effort proved no more than a consolation with the last kick of the game in a classic tale of two halves.
Marco Silva opted to continuity & named an unchanged side from the starting XI that had comfortably handled Brighton & Hove Albion exactly a week ago at Craven Cottage, choosing to name João Palhinha amongst the substitutes following his return from suspension.
As the sun peeped out through the clouds in the Black Country the referee got the match under way at Molineux.
It was Fulham who stated the brightest and had their first sight on goal in the sixth minute. A sublime cross-field ball from Harry Wilson to Iwobi on the left flank freed up some space. With Andreas Pereira available on the overlap the Nigerian slipped an inch perfect reverse pass through to the Brazilian international. With the box crowded Andreas opened up his body and looked to bend one in the far corner. A fine save by José Sá denied us the dream start.
| Match Stats |
Wolves |
Fulham |
| Goals |
(0)2 |
1 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Ait Nouri 52 |
Iwobi 98 |
|
Cairney og 67 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
8 |
23 |
| On target |
3 |
6 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
38% |
26% |
| Possession |
48% |
52% |
| Passes |
451 |
495 |
| Passes Success |
85% |
85% |
| Crosses |
16 |
15 |
| Crosses Success |
6% |
33% |
| Corners |
3 |
4 |
| Tackles |
9 |
21 |
| Tackles Success |
22% |
86% |
| Saves |
5 |
2 |
| Fouls |
7 |
11 |
| Offsides |
3 |
0 |
| Yellows |
2 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
In the 25th minute Fulham again had a golden opportunity to open the scoring. Iwobi, influencing the game from the left flank threaded a perfect through ball in behind Max Kilman and the Wolves defence. Harry Wilson, who had timed his run to perfection latched on to the pass and raced through in on goal before placing a left-footed strike just wide of the post.
Ten minutes later we were at it again. After maintaining pressure on the hosts in their own half Harrison Reed cut back an excellent cross back into the path of Tosin who had remained in the Wolves box following a set piece. The commanding centre back connected sweetly with a first-time effort which cannoned off the bar and went behind for a goal kick.
It proved to be the last action of note in the first half as the game’s fluidity stuttered after a sequence of injuries to Wolves players. Three guilt-edge chances littered throughout a free-flowing first half.
After some nervy moments in the opening stages of the second half it was the hosts who opened the scoring in the 52nd minute. A set-piece was not dealt with adequately and after some fine work from substitute Toti Gomes a ball was pulled back into the path of Aït-Nouri who smashed home into the roof of the net.
In the 67th minute things went from bad to worse for Fulham after some more uncharacteristically sloppy play. After failing to maintain possession and with a passes not hitting their mark the lead was doubled for Wolves. A backheel on the edge of our box cleverly found the feet of Nélson Semedo who composed himself before firing a weak right-footed effort on target. With the ball destined to be saved by Bernd Leno, a wicked deflection off Tom Cairney altered the path of the ball past the bewildered Leno in the Fulham net.
A plethora of Fulham substitutes sparked us into life and if not for a sequence of exceptional saves to deny Adama Traoré & Palhinha we could have set up a tense finale. Following a surging run from the explosive winger the Portuguese goalkeeper was alert to palm wide and seconds later reacted well to tip a Palhinha effort over the bar.
A wholeheartedly frustrating afternoon in the Midlands was mercifully brought to a close after Iwobi gabbed a consolation goal with the final kick of the game.
Fulham manager Marco Silva said:
"We had enough chances to be leading at half-time. We didn't start really well but after the first chance we created, we built momentum and were on the front foot.
"The way we started the second half, we played too slow. The first 15 minutes, we were losing balls in dangerous areas. They start to have some good offensive transitions from the way we build and we were punished.
"We tried everything to put more offensive players on the pitch. We created enough chances to come back but it was not enough. We were punished by the lack of concentration and focus at the start of the second half."
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil said:
"It's the best win of the season, from where we've been and what we've had to deal with over the last few weeks and then what we had to deal with today. Not only the quality we lose but the mental test it puts on the players.
"For them to respond in the way they did against a Fulham side that's almost full strength, for us to look as comfortable as we did was an incredible effort from an incredible group of players.
"Today surprised me. That's maybe too strong but we've had to deal with a lot. The lads find a way to group together and fight for everything.
Wolverhampton Wanderers : Sa, Semedo, Bueno, Kilman, Ait Nouri,
Gomes, Lemina, Sarabia, Bellegarde (Doyle 11), Neto (Toti 46), Fraser (Doherty
77)
Unused substitutes: Traore, N Lemina, H Bueno, Bentley, Chirewa, Chiwome
Goals:
Ait Nouri 52 (Sarabia clips a free-kick into the box where Bassey tries to flick it behind for a corner.
However, his head falls right to Toti, who controls and then pulls the ball back to Ait-Nouri to sweep home!
FPL assist: Toti)
Cairney og 67 (Fraser's ball across deflects into the bath of Gomes, who lays it off with a drag back for Semedo to shoot.
His effort takes a big deflection and goes in!)
Booked: Semedo (45,tw), Bueno (57,f),
Fulham : Leno, Castagne (Broja 80), Adarabioyo, Bassey,
Robinson, Reed (Cairney 61), Lukic (Palhinha 70), Wilson (Traore 70), Pereira
(Willian 62), Iwobi, Muniz
Unused substitutes: Rodak, Tete, Ream, De Cordova-Reid
Goals:
Iwobi 98 (Good move form Fulham and Iwobi improvises well to turn in from close-range!)
Booked: Palhinha (72,f), Reed (51,f)
Referee:
Tony Harrington (Cleveland)
Attendance: 30,860
Fulham host London rivals Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday March 16, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 5.30pm.