Report | Wolves 2-2 Crystal Palace | Men’s First Team | News

Wolves made it two draws after a frantic 17 minutes in the second half, with four goals scored under the lights of Molineux to ensure the points were shared with Crystal Palace.

After a goalless first half, the match took off when Trevoh Chalobah took advantage of Chalobah’s indecision in a free kick to put Palace ahead 1-0. But Wolves equalized inside seven minutes with a neat finish from Jorgen Strand Larsen following good work from Matheus Cunha.

Wolves took the lead just five minutes later after neat one-touch play around the penalty area saw Goncalo Guedes slot the ball into the path of Joao Gomes. But the scoring did not end there and Palace equalized with another set-piece in the 77th minute when Marc Guehi found himself unmarked for a corner and finished at the back post.

There was little to separate the sides in a fairly even but open first half as Wolves and Palace looked to get their Premier League campaigns running smoothly.

Wolves’ early pressure failed to produce a clear-cut chance; In the defending third, Craig Dawson made a crucial block on Will Hughes’ shot and Daichi Kamada’s follow-on was easily taken away from Jose Sa.

Rayan Ait Nouri made most of Wolves’ early runs, which included Tommy Doyle, but the full-back’s right-footed effort was tame. A few minutes later, the Algerian player waited for the corner kick on the edge of the penalty area, but shot over the bar.

Santiago Bueno made a strong start from the back and came out determined to break Palace’s attacks and it was the Argentine who turned defense into attack, but Matheus Cunha’s ball into the box was just ahead of Pablo Sarabia.

Jean-Philippe Mateta did his best to select Eddie Nketiah in midfield but could not get forward Sa to start. The French player was in the middle of the action when Palace’s corner kick came to his feet, but his shot bounced off Chalobah and out of danger.

Nelson Semedo, deputizing as captain, came into the game as the half developed and first picked out Cunha, whose pass on the left separated the Palace defense but evaded Strand Larsen. The Portuguese then found Gomes free in the middle of the field. The Brazilian player played with his compatriot Cunha, but his effort was neither a shot nor a cross.

Mateta was once again powering his way towards goal and pushing the Wolves defense back, but when the ball went out Daniel Munoz headed just over the cross.

Wolves ended the half looking more likely to make a breakthrough. A powerful run from Toti saw the defender play on Cunha. His superb pass fell invitingly to Pablo Sarabia in the box, but the Spaniard allowed the ball to pass over his body and Dean Henderson made a vital save to end the half goalless.

First half | Wolves 0 Crystal Palace 0

While the first half ended with a great chance for Sarabia, the second half also started. Strand Larsen passed the ball to Cunha, who rushed forward and played a perfect pass to Sarabia, but Henderson was quickly out of play and blocked the Spaniard’s shot.

Dawson displayed his typically calm presence at the back, allowing Wolves to break out, Semedo offering a willing runner down the right, while Ait Nouri was also pushing forward but the final third proved indecisive on a promising Wolves break.

Although Wolves started the first half positively, it was Crystal Palace that broke the deadlock. Kamada gave a short free kick to Hughes, who lifted the ball from the left. As Sa made his claim, Strand Larsen was the first to reach the ball and his header fell to Chalobah at the back post, who sent the ball into the goal.

A charge from the left could have made it two points for Palace shortly afterwards, but Eddie Nketiah’s deflected pass into the box was cleared over by Ismaila Sarr. The Senegalese had another superb chance when Semedo’s misplaced pass came his way, but the striker cleared his shot wide of the post.

Wolves’ heads did not drop and they were back in the game within seven minutes. The impressive Bueno tackled from behind once again before making a fierce pass to Cunha. He shrugged off the Brazilian defender and picked out Strand Larsen in the cross, the striker showing good composure to slot past Henderson.

And things got even better five minutes later when Wolves took the lead. Substitute Mario Lemina cleverly turned in his own half, opened up the area and found Cunha with his pass. The number 10 advanced forward and passed the ball to Guedes on the edge of the penalty area, who calmly found Gomes and the Brazilian completed the corner well low.

The frantic nature of the second half continued and Palace returned to balance five minutes later. Munoz headed Kamada’s corner and there was no sign of the Palace captain at the back post.

A grueling final fifteen minutes saw the action continue from end to end; Semedo first wisely positioned himself as the last defender to clear the danger on a dangerous Palace break, while substitute Jean-Ricner Bellegarde at the other end attacked the opposition’s feet. Strand Larsen is in the penalty area. The Norwegian kept the ball well before bringing Guedes into play, but the shot did not trouble Henderson.

Palace broke down the left as Wolves looked for the winner, but Lemina was in the middle and blocked Mateta’s ball. Sa came to collect the ball but Munoz sent the ball towards the goal and VAR ruled that the ball left Sa’s hands and the game ended in a draw.

Full time | Wolves 2 Crystal Palace 2

wolves | Sa, Semedo, Bueno, Dawson, Toti (Bellegarde 61), Ait-Nouri, J. Gomes, Doyle (Lemina 61), Sarabia (Guedes 61), Cunha, Strand Larsen.

Unused subscribers | Bentley, Doherty, Pond, Andre, R. Gomes, Forbs.

Crystal Palace | Henderson, Munoz, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell, Hughes (Doucoure 79), Kamada, Sarr (Schlupp 89), Mateta, Nketiah (Clyne 83).

Unused subscribers | Turner, Matthews, Umeh, Devenny, Kporha, Agbinone.