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LEEDS DENY WOLVES AS RODRIGO’S LATE PENALTY EARNS DRAMATIC DRAW

LEEDS, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: Rodrigo Moreno of Leeds United during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland Road on October 3, 2020 in Leeds, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Rodrigo’s stoppage-time penalty rescued Leeds a deserved point in a pulsating 1-1 Premier League draw against Wolves.

The Spain forward held his nerve in the fourth minute of added time to convert his first goal of the season after Leeds substitute Joe Gelhardt had gone down under Wolves defender Nelson Semedo’s challenge.

Marcelo Bielsa’s depleted Leeds had laid seige on Wolves’ goal for much of the match after Hwang Hee-chan had given the visitors a 10th-minute lead.

Wolves appeared to have held on for their fourth straight win with a battling backs-to-the-wall display in another highly-charged encounter at Elland Road, but Rodrigo’s last-gasp spot-kick denied them.

Leeds barely deserved to trail 1-0 at half-time after a much-improved display in which their renowned energy levels were restored.

Rodrigo headed Raphinha’s corner wide after Bielsa’s side had burst out of the blocks, clearly intent on putting last week’s no-show in a 1-0 defeat at Southampton behind them.

But Wolves delivered a thumping body blow out of nowhere in the 10th minute to snatch the lead from their first attack.

Semedo mugged Jack Harrison on the right edge of the area and Raul Jimenez’s scuffed shot hit Hwang and fell kindly for the South Korean forward to turn the ball home from close range.

Prompted by the rangy brilliance of Brazil winger Raphinha, Leeds made most of the running but save for Mateusz Klich’s curled effort, easily snaffled by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa, they had little to show for their efforts.

Leeds coped more comfortably without midfield linchpin Kalvin Phillips – the England international returned to the bench after a calf strain – but Patrick Bamford’s continued absence leaves a gaping hole up front.

Harrison blazed high and wide and Raphinha curled his shot off target after cutting inside.

Leeds were dealt another hefty blow early in the second half when Raphinha was caught late by Wolves defender Romain Saiss and hobbled off. He was replaced by Crysencio Summerville.

Bielsa sent on young striker Joe Gelhardt for Klich in the 63rd minute as Leeds regained some momentum.

Saiss just got his head to Daniel James’ cross as it appeared destined for Summerville at the far post and Roberts’ glancing header drifted wide.

Pascal Struijk headed Stuart Dallas’ free-kick straight at Sa and the home faithful cranked up the volume in their bid to lift their side.

Leeds appealed in vain for a penalty when Rodrigo went down under Max Kilman’s challenge and Gelhardt’s thumping drive was tipped over by Sa.

Gelhardt snatched at another chance, blasting over, but in the dying moments the former Wigan starlet tumbled in the area under Semedo’s challenge and Rodrigo coolly converted after referee Robert Jones had pointed to the spot.

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HWANG HEE-CHAN ON THE DOUBLE AS WOLVES SEES OFF NEWCASTLE

Hwang Hee-chan’s brace inspired Wolves and sunk winless Newcastle to pile the pressure on Magpies boss Steve Bruce.

The striker scored Wolves’ first home goals in the Premier League this season as Bruno Lage’s improving side bagged a 2-1 win.

Jeff Hendrick’s first-half leveller briefly threatened to upset the hosts’ momentum but they have now won three of their last four top flight games which threaten to ignite their season.

It was not a classic performance but it was good enough to beat the Magpies, who are still searching for their first win of the season and slipped to second bottom.

Bruce would have left frustrated after a tight game yet there was little suggestion Newcastle will avoid a relegation battle this term.

They began brightly enough with Allan Saint-Maximin the focal point but fell behind to the game’s first chance after 20 minutes.

It was more evidence Raul Jimenez’s powers are returning after his fractured skull when, fresh from his first goal in 336 days to beat Southampton last week, he turned provider at Molineux.

The striker brilliantly held off Sean Longstaff and slipped in Hwang to draw Karl Darlow and slide a low shot under the goalkeeper.

The confidence drained from the Magpies while Wolves, looking for successive wins for just the third time this year, grew and Joao Moutinho tested Darlow from distance.

There was, though, a lack of flow to the game which continued to be punctuated with breaks for treatment and Joe Willock was eventually forced off nine minutes before half time and replaced by Hendrick.

Chances were rare but Wolves should have doubled their lead when Francisco Trincao blew a golden opening.

Ruben Neves found Hwang and his cross reached Trincao but the forward smashed a thundering effort off the underside of the bar.

It was a wretched miss and Wolves paid the price 73 seconds later when the Magpies levelled after 41 minutes.

Joelinton raced onto Saint-Maximin’s pass and Jose Sa injured himself diving at his feet.

The ball ran loose and Neves lost possession on the edge of the area for Javier Manquillo to find Hendrick and, with Sa struggling to regain his position, the substitute drilled into the corner from 25 yards.

Wolves were furious and boss Lage was booked while a bottle appeared to be thrown onto the pitch from the home fans in the aftermath but there was little wrong with the goal.

Emboldened, Newcastle went for another after the restart and Sa needed to be alert to block Saint-Maximin’s close-range effort following Joelinton’s cross.

But Wolves regrouped and restored their lead when Jimenez and Hwang and combined again for the winner after 58 minutes.

Jimenez showed excellent skill and strength to turn Longstaff and ride a challenge from Isaac Hayden to feed Hwang and the South Korea international produced another excellent low finish.

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RAUL JIMENEZ ENDS WOLVERHAMPTON GOAL DROUGHT IN WIN AT SOUTHAMPTON

Raul Jimenez conjured a moment of magic to claim his first goal since suffering a career-threatening fractured skull and earn Wolves a 1-0 Premier League victory at winless Southampton.

The Mexico striker – sporting protective head gear following his sickening clash with former Arsenal defender David Luiz last November – emphatically ended a 336-day wait to hit the net after waltzing through Saints’ defence in the 61st minute.

He twice beat Southampton defender Jan Bednarek, as well as leaving Mohammed Salisu on his backside, en route to calmly slotting beyond home goalkeeper Alex McCarthy in front of a packed away end.

Jimenez feared he would never play again in the aftermath of his horrific head injury at the Emirates Stadium almost 10 months ago and only returned to the field at the start of this campaign.

His milestone strike was a rare piece of quality during a largely forgettable affair – the 250th top-flight fixture staged at St Mary’s – and secured Wolves only a second success of the campaign under new boss Bruno Lage.

Defeat for Southampton leaves them eight games without a win dating back to last season and three successive outings without finding the net.

Following a tricky run of fixtures, the hosts came into the contest on the back of four consecutive draws, including last weekend’s creditable point at champions Manchester City.

Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl made one enforced change as Salisu replaced the injured Jack Stephens, while Hwang Hee-chan – the only Wolves player to have registered a top-flight goal this term ahead of kick-off – was among three players recalled by the away side.

Despite their struggles in front of goal, Wolves could have been ahead after just 47 seconds.

Rampaging wing-back Nelson Semedo was given a clear sight of goal after being slipped in by Jimenez on the right but his stinging drive was pushed away by McCarthy.

The lively start swiftly fizzled out, with both sides sloppily exchanging possession and struggling to create during a dismal first 45 minutes.

Nathan Redmond thought he had opened the scoring five minutes before the break but his neat turn and finish via the underside of the crossbar was swiftly ruled out, moments before Wolves keeper Jose Sa atoned for a poor clearance by comfortably denying Adam Armstrong.

Portuguese stopper Sa was forced into more serious action early in the second period as Southampton stepped up a gear.

The summer signing from Greek club Olympiacos used his legs to repel a low effort from Valentino Livramento following good work from Armstrong before pushing away a Mohamed Elyounoussi effort.

Jimenez’s solo strike then turned proceedings in Wolves’ favour.

The former Benfica forward rolled back the clock by brushing off Bednarek wide on the left before charging towards the box, bamboozling both of Southampton’s centre-backs and coolly side-footing home.

Hasenhuttl responded by throwing on attacking trio Moussa Djenepo, Armando Broja and Shane Long from the bench.

With the home crowd growing restless, Saints poured bodies forward in the closing stages and were given six minutes of added time to chase a leveller.

But the afternoon belonged to Jimenez, who was denied a second by McCarthy deep into the additional period before soaking up the acclaim from his club’s jubilant fans.

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Mason Greenwood makes Wolves pay for missed chances

Mason Greenwood continued his electric start to the season as his late strike snatched Manchester United a 1-0 victory at Wolves.

Greenwood’s third goal in three games made the hosts pay for a string of missed chances and also saw United set a new all-time English football record by extending their unbeaten away record to 28 matches.

But United needed David De Gea’s sensational second-half stop from Romain Saiss to give them the platform for victory.

It capped a dramatic week at Old Trafford after United agreed a deal with Juventus to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to the club, 12 years after he left for Real Madrid.

They rode their luck at Molineux as Wolves – who have now had 57 shots in the Premier League without scoring this season – suffered Groundhog Day.

Bruno Lage’s side lost their opening two games 1-0 to Leicester and Tottenham and were left empty handed again.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared Francisco Trincao’s shot off the line, Raul Jimenez was denied by De Gea and Trincao missed a fine second-half chance.

But United carved out victory against the run of play as they prepare to mark Ronaldo’s return.

Wolves’ rapid start began when Adama Traore burst forward after intercepting Fred’s loose pass and found Jimenez, only for De Gea to save with his legs.

Fred’s nightmare start continued when he failed to cut out Ruben Neves’ pass on the break and then could not stop Trincao muscling past him into the area.

The Barcelona loanee beat De Gea and only Wan-Bissaka’s brilliant recovery denied him a first Premier League goal.

Wolves’ rapid start – inspired by Traore – was only aided by United’s mistakes and Jadon Sancho’s miscued header presented Joao Moutinho with a chance which he volleyed over.

The hosts had failed to score in their opening two games, despite having 42 shots, and their profligacy underlined why they had moved for striker Hee Chan Hwang.

The South Korea international watched from the stands after joining on loan, with a £13million option to buy, from RB Leipzig.

Debutant Raphael Varane endured a busy introduction to the Premier League but stood firm against the ferocity of Wolves’ tempo, underlining why United shelled out £34million for the former Real Madrid man.

At the front United lacked ingenuity and ideas and, while Bruno Fernandes smashed past Jose Sa six minutes before the break he was comfortably offside.

It was a rare moment of respite for the visitors but Greenwood still drilled wide to warn Wolves, despite their dominance, United were ready to punish them.

Another blank would have been a worry for Lage at the break and United underlined their own attacking riches by bringing on Edinson Cavani for Daniel James early in the second half.

Solskjaer’s side stabilised and Fred fired at Sa but Wolves missed another guilt-edged chance after 63 minutes.

Traore was found by Jimenez and he teed up Trincao, only for the forward – unmarked 15 yards out – to miscue his effort and it trickled wide.

Wolves appeared to be edging closer and it took a wonder-save from De Gea to stop them from opening the scoring with 21 minutes left.

Saiss rose to meet Moutinho’s corner and De Gea parried his header but the defender looked certain to score the follow up, only for the goalkeeper to brilliantly parry his shot from point blank range.

It proved pivotal as Greenwood snatched victory with 10 minutes left, to leave Wolves fuming.

Pogba and Neves went in for a 50-50 tackle with the ball running to Varane and he found Greenwood who cut inside on the right and beat Sa from the angle.

Wolves’ protests that Pogba fouled Neves were rejected by Mike Dean as they slipped to another defeat.

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Result: Harry Kane makes first appearance of season as Tottenham edge Wolves win

Harry Kane made his first appearance of the season for Tottenham as they claimed a 1-0 Premier League win on Nuno Espirito Santo’s return to Wolves.

The England captain was not involved in the opening two games of the season following his late return from holiday amid his desire to join Manchester City.

But with Spurs holding firm, he came on in the 72nd minute of a match that was decided by Dele Alli’s 10th-minute penalty.

Alli struck home from 12 yards after he was fouled by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa as Nuno’s side made it two 1-0 wins from two Premier League matches.

It is two 1-0 defeats for Wolves as Bruno Lage waits for his first points since becoming Nuno’s replacement, but there were positive signs as they dominated large parts of the game.

Adama Traore was their biggest threat, but he missed the biggest chance as he was denied by Hugo Lloris when through on goal.

Even though he is keen to leave, Kane would have loved to have been on the pitch as Spurs were awarded an early penalty.

Sergio Reguilon’s incisive throughball found Alli and as he tried rounding Sa, the Wolves goalkeeper wiped him out with Stuart Attwell pointing straight to the spot.

With Kane on the bench, Alli assumed responsibility from the spot and confidently sent Sa the wrong way to give his side the lead, with his first Premier League goal since March 2020.

That was Tottenham’s only shot on goal in the first half as Wolves completely dominated, with Traore causing mayhem down the left.

The winger has been linked with a move to Spurs and he showcased his strengths in style with a marauding display.

He had the pace and power to beat Japhet Tanganga and as he surged into the area, he picked out Joao Moutinho, whose first-time flick teed up Jimenez but the Mexico striker curled the ball just over from the edge of the area.

Lage’s side continued to pin Spurs back and they had plenty of dangerous moments but lacked any clear-cut chances that tested Lloris.

The France goalkeeper was forced into a low save from a Ruben Neves drive from distance as Tottenham survived until half-time.

The second half followed a similar pattern as Wolves pinned the visitors back and the chances began to rack up.

Lloris had to make a smart low save to keep out Francisco Trincao’s effort from Nelson Semedo’s cut-back before the keeper proved why he has managed 300 Premier League appearances for Spurs.

Eric Dier got caught in possession on the halfway line, Neves sent Traore clean through but Lloris stayed big and saved the one-on-one chance.

The away side were on the rack but had the chance to kill the game with a rare foray forward.

Lloris’ goal-kick sent Steven Bergwijn through on goal and the Dutchman forced Sa into a fine low save with a low curling shot and then got up quickly to block Son’s rebound before another Son shot was blocked.

With Spurs up against it, Kane was introduced in the 72nd minute for his first appearance of the campaign.

Visiting supporters greeted his arrival with a chant of ‘Harry Kane, he’s one of our own’ and he immediately improved his side

He could have had a fairytale return to the side eight minutes after his arrival as he was played in after a brilliant piece of skill by Bergwijn, but his shot was saved by Sa from a narrow angle.

As Wolves pressed for an equaliser, chances opened at the other end for Tottenham as Dier had a header from a corner well saved and then Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had a shot blocked.

Kane went over to the Spurs fans at full-time to celebrate the win and was well received as his future remains up in the air

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VARDY’S LONE GOAL SECURE LEICESTER WINNING START AGAINST WOLVES

Jamie Vardy scored a brilliant clinching goal as FA Cup winners Leicester City followed up their Community Shield victory over Manchester City with a narrow 1-0 win over Wolves.

The visitors, under new manager Bruno Lage, dominated the second half but could not match the exquisite finish by Vardy four minutes before half-time.

Vardy had been getting in behind the Wolves backline even before his brilliant goal.

He had a left-footed shot saved by Jose Sa in the 10th minute after Ayoze Perez’s lofted pass into the left channel.

Then, after netting when clearly offside five minutes later, Leicester’s 2020/21 top scorer tried a bold backheel after James Maddison’s angled ball over the top.

Wolves, with Raul Jimenez leading the line intelligently on his first league appearance since fracturing his skull nine months ago, looked dangerous on the counter-attack, mainly through Adama Traore.

Five minutes before Leciester’s goal, Joao Moutinho won possession in midfield and played a perfectly paced pass through the middle. Traore sprinted clear and set himself to sidefoot goalwards but shot just past the post.

Vardy made Wolves pay in style. Ricardo Pereira muscled his way past two men down the right wing and pulled a low cross to the near corner of the six-yard area where Vardy ran in front of Conor Coady to flick a brilliant left-footed shot past Sa.

The former England man celebrated in customary style in front of the Wolves fans.

Youri Tielemans almost doubled the lead with a 20-yard shot in stoppage time but Sa parried.

The second half became a more open and entertaining affair as Leicester initially allowed Wolves to come onto them more.

Francisco Trincao regained the ball high up the field. The winger, on his Premier League debut after joining on loan from Barcelona, played a one-two with Ruben Neves and then saw his shot from close range deflected over the crossbar.

Leicester responded to Wolves’ threat of dominance by switching to a 3-5-2 shape and a rare Coady slip allowed Vardy to send in Harvey Barnes but the England squad defender made a saving tackle.

Boubakary Soumare, the £17 million signing from Lille, and £15million defender Jannik Vestergaard, who joined on the eve of the game from Southampton, both came on to stiffen up Leicester’s side.

The game was opening up thrillingly and Tielemans sent Barnes in on goal down the right hand side but Max Kilman anticipated his turn inside and averted the danger.

Wolves dominated the final stages but neither Kilman, dribbling in on goal, Leander Dendoncker, with a clear header, nor Morgan Gibbs-White, fed by Traore, could convert.

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BRUNO LAGE KEEN TO BRING IN MORE NEW SIGNINGS AT WOLVES

Bruno Lage is confident of bringing in more new signings as he prepares to begin a new era at Wolves.

The Portuguese, who worked as assistant under Carlos Carvalhal at both Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea not so long ago, replaced compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo at Molineux over the summer when he left to take over at Tottenham.

Lage, who won the title in his homeland with Benfica in 2018/19, has brought in Jose Sa, Yerson Mosquera, Francisco Trincao, Louie Moulden, Bendeguz Bolla and Rayan Ait Nouri since his arrival in June, but has also seen the likes of Rui Patricio, Patrick Cutrone and Ruben Vinagre leave.

Supporters are crying out for more signings and it is clear the squad needs it, while Wolves also still have a very talented team at their disposal.

Ahead of his first competitive match in charge against Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, Lage said: “For sure I’m talking with the board and Jeff (Shi, executive chairman), they know the profiles for the players we want and the positions we want.

“The fans can trust in him. The last four years, (Wolves) did very well. We know what we need to do.”

Lage also insists his players are fully focused on the start of the new season and he is “not worried” about losing anyone else late in the transfer window.

Ruben Neves and Adama Traore in particular have been the subject of much reported interest from rival clubs.

“There are rules, so we will need to wait until the end of August to see who stays and goes,” said the 45-year-old.

“The most important thing is I can see at the moment that everyone is focused. So I’m not worried. The important thing is to have time to work with the players.”

Meanwhile, Lage has revealed Pedro Neto is aiming to return from injury within two months. The forward has been out since April with a fractured patella.

He added: “I see him every day in the gym. What he did last season was very good, it was a good surprise for me. I saw him play and what he did was very good.

“Maybe he needs more time, I don’t know exactly how long. He’s not ready for one month, or two I think.”

Striker Raul Jimenez will be available for the first time since suffering a fractured skull in November, with Lage insisting “there are no problems with him”.

However, Neto (knee), Jonny (knee) and Daniel Podence (groin) remain on the sidelines, while Wily Boly has a hamstring injury.

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RUI PATRICIO COMPLETES MOVE FROM WOLVES TO ROMA

Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio has joined Roma from Wolves for an undisclosed fee.

The Premier League club confirmed the deal, which Roma stated to be for an initial £9.8million, on Tuesday evening.

Patricio, 33, becomes Jose Mourinho’s first signing since the former Tottenham boss was appointed as head coach at Roma in May.

“Roma is a big club and a new challenge and I’m excited to try and help the club achieve its targets,” Patricio said on www.asroma.com.

“In Jose Mourinho we are talking about one of the greatest coaches in the world and I am excited to start working with him and doing everything I can to help the team.”

Patricio joined Wolves in 2018 after requesting to leave Sporting following an attack on the Lisbon club’s training ground by fans.

The veteran goalkeeper made more than 135 appearances for Wolves, with 37 clean sheets, and helped the team qualify for Europe under former boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Wolves technical director Scott Sellars said on the club’s official website: “We would all like to thank Rui for everything he has done for Wolves during the past three seasons.

“He has been part of the best years of the club’s recent history, in terms of the success we have had, coming to us when we were newly promoted and helping the club to achieve two seventh place finishes.

“He’s been a fantastic servant to the club, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for him to experience a new club in a new league, and a good move for everybody involved. We certainly wish him the very best of luck at Roma.”

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BARCELONA WINGER, FRANCISCO TRINCAO JOINS WOLVES ON SEASON-LONG LOAN

Barcelona winger Francisco Trincao has joined Wolves on a season-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent, the Spanish club announced on Sunday.

The 21-year-old is the latest Barca prospect to leave the club this summer, with defender Jean-Clair Todibo and winger Konrad De La Fuente having left the Camp Nou on permanent deals.

Trincao has made 43 appearances for Barca since joining from Braga for €31 million last year, scoring two goals and three assists.

The Portugal U-21 international has six senior caps, although he was not included his country’s Euro 2020 squad. He joins a strong Portuguese contingent at Wolves, having played alongside six of his new teammates in the national side.

“We’ve watched him a lot, especially over the last couple of months, so he’s been on our radar for quite a while,” Wolves technical director Scott Sellars said in a statement.

“He’s got loads of quality — signing for Barcelona from Braga shows what potential he’s got. He’s 21 and has played quite a lot of games in La Liga, so we think he’s ready for the Premier League.”

Tirincao is the first signing under new Wolves manager Bruno Lage, who came in after Nuno Espirito Santo left at the end of last season before becoming the Tottenham boss on Wednesday.

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WOLVES APPOINT BRUNO LAGE AS NEW BOSS

Wolves have confirmed the appointment of former Benfica boss Bruno Lage as their new head coach.

The Molineux club have been on the hunt for a new manager following Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure at the end of last season.

And Lage is the man they have chosen to replace his fellow Portuguese coach, with the 45-year-old set to take charge of Wolves in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

He is back in management just under a year after seeing his contract terminated at Benfica, whom he guided to the Portuguese title after taking on the job halfway through the 2018/19 campaign

Lage has gained an impressive reputation for developing young players, nurturing the likes of Joao Felix, Ruben Dias and Carlos Vinicius before the trio landed moves to Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Tottenham.

After failing to make it as a professional himself, he turned to coaching at the age of 21 and worked his way through the lower leagues of Portuguese football as both a youth coach and an assistant manager.

He then sealed his first move to Benfica as part of their academy in 2004, spending eight years at the club and managing every one of their youth sides.

Lage then received his first taste of English football and senior management when he was given the chance to work as assistant to Carlos Carvalhal at both Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea.

The pair helped Wednesday reach the Championship playoff semi-finals, before suffering relegation from the Premier League with Swansea.

Lage then returned to Benfica as manager of their reserve side in July 2018, before moving up to take the first-team job on a caretaker basis when Rui Vitoria was sacked six months later.

He flourished in that role, winning 18 of his first 19 matches at the helm and avoiding defeat to ensure Benfica captured the Primeira Liga crown.

However, after equalling the club’s worst even run of results the following season losing their crown, Lage left Benfica by mutual consent in July 2020.

He now has the chance to rebuild his reputation at Wolves, where he will begin pre-season training with his new squad next month.