Wolves 2-1 Fulham

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. 

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 grabbed a consolation goal with the final kick of the game.