By Daily sports on December 16, 2020
Pedro Neto’s struck five minutes into stoppage time as Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League for the second time in four days when Wolves fought back to win 2-1 at Molineux.
Olivier Giroud’s eighth goal of the season put the visitors in front early in the second-half, but Daniel Podence equalised before Neto’s purposeful run and precise finish condemned Chelsea’s to a second successive defeat.
Frank Lampard’s men remain in fifth, three points adrift of Tottenham and Liverpool at the top, ahead of a clash between the top two at Anfield on Wednesday.
Victory was no more than Nuno Espirito Santo’s men deserved as they bounced back from two consecutive defeats since losing top scorer Raul Jimenez to a fractured skull.
Lampard himself called into question the Blues title credentials after a 1-0 loss to Everton on Saturday. There was more evidence that Chelsea are still a team in transition after a £220 million ($294 million) transfer spending spree as two of their big money signings, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, again failed to sparkle.
Other than bursts from Christian Pulisic past the struggling Nelson Semedo, Lampard’s men created precious little from open play.
Set-pieces caused Wolves more problems as Giroud headed over when he should have hit the target from Ben Chilwell’s corner.
Just before the break, Kurt Zouma rose highest to crash Mason Mount’s corner off the crossbar and Giroud was too slow to the react to the rebound as the ball ricocheted off the French striker and behind for a goal-kick.
The 34-year-old was razor sharp four minutes into the second-half as he volleyed Chilwell’s cross towards goal and the ball slipped through Rui Patricio’s grasp and just over the line.
Going behind awakened Wolves and Fabio Silva was denied his first Premier League goal since a 40 million euro ($47 million £36 million) move from Porto by an offside flag.
Wolves had not scored in two games since losing Jimenez to a sickening head knock suffered in a 2-1 win at Arsenal.
But Podence produced a moment of magic as he twisted and turned inside the Chelsea box to find space for a shot and his effort deflected off Reece James and inside Edouard Mendy’s near post.
Chelsea’s record signing Havertz had another night to forget. The German international was replaced by Mateo Kovacic, while Tammy Abraham replaced the injured Giroud as Lampard went in search of a winner.
Yet, it was Wolves who looked the more likely winners in the closing stages.
Semedo wasted a glorious chance to kickstart his time in the Premier League by trying to cross when one-on-one with Mendy.
Neto then thought he had won a penalty when driving past James, but after a VAR review referee Stuart Attwell overturned his original decision as there was no contact on the Portuguese winger.
However, Neto was not to be denied on the counter-attack deep into stoppage time as he accelerated past Zouma and drove low into the far corner to move Wolves into the top half of the table and within three points of the top four. (AFP)
•PHOTO: Wolves players
Source Daily sports
Posted December 16, 2020
You may also like...
Loftus-Cheek Undergoes Surgery, Misses Europa League Final
AFCON: Akwa Ibom FA Chairman Ibah Tips Super...
Brighton shock Manchester United to secure Premier League...
Villarreal To Appoint Ex-Arsenal Manager Emery
Ndidi relishes Champions League debut
Leicester boss Rodgers Rules Out Spurs Move

World Cup Tit-Bits
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS: Stay away from Naija, Nigerian football fans warn Ime Okon
Ashe storms to 100m title at C’wealth Games trials
Messi toughest striker I’ve faced – Omeruo
I don’t want to end my career with losses — Adesanya
Squash: 190 players battle for N8m Prime Atlantic title
Ogundinran claims 100m crown at Commonwealth Games trials
Champions emerge at 47th CBN Senior Tennis tourney
From Grassroots Dreams to Centre Stage: JOF U-13 Cup Reaches Grand Finale in Lagos on June 28
World Cup: Morocco edge Scotland, USA march into last 32, Brazil beat Haiti
AFN shifts Commonwealth Games trials over delayed arrivals
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,906 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,239 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,160 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,760 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,647 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,521 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,405 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,931 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,136 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,609 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,080 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,487 views)