Crystal Palace salvages a point against Wolves thanks to Guehi’s late equalizer. Explore the match details and key moments from this thrilling encounter.
Introduction:
Wolverhampton Wanderers go without a win in the Premier League as they played Crystal Palace to a tight 2-2 draw at Molineux Stadium. The game has exposed the defensive woes of Wolves, who on two occasions lost the lead for Palace to take an important point. Trevoh Chalobah put Palace ahead but Wolves overturned matters with Jorgen Strand Larsen and Joao Gomes scores. However, Palace captain Marc Guehi scored a late equalizer, keeping Wolves rooted to the bottom of the table.
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First Half – A Battle of Missed Opportunities
The first half saw wolves and palace battle for control, but neither side was able to break the deadlock. Both teams created promising chances but failed to capitalize, setting up an intense second half.
Key Moments in Defense
Wolves’ Craig Dawson and Palace’s Marc Guehi marshaled their respective defenses efficiently with Dawson making one crucial block early on for Will Hughes to score. The visitors almost took the lead when Jean-Philippe Mateta had a good chance but hit his teammate, squandering a good attack. On the other end, Dean Henderson has made impressive saves to hold out Pablo Sarabia of Wolves keeping it level at the end of the half.
Second Half – A Flood of Goals and Drama Unfolds
In the second half, the action flows dramatically because both teams are on the scoresheet in a matter of minutes. Palace scores, then Wolves level with two goals in quick succession before a late equalizer by Palace from Guehi.
See also: Mateta Shines as Crystal Palace Triumphs 1-0 Over Ipswich Town: Premier League
Chalobah Scores the Opening Goal
Larsen was unlucky to turn Hughes’ cross away from Jose Sa when Chalobah could shoot the ball into the empty net in the 60th minute and ended the stalemate. That opener from nowhere has set Palace to play very aggressive for this half, as if Palace will win at any cost, but they didn’t because Wolves did their comeback shortly.
Larsen and Gomes Spark Wolves’ Comeback
Just seven minutes had passed since Chalobah’s goal when the same man committed the crime of losing possession by heading back rather than crossing, which then opened space for Larsen to be given time on the spot to produce something with panache. Five minutes later, and Wolves led after a perfect delivery of a long ball by the fresh replacement Guedes found a way for the slot of Joao Gomes at the bottom right corner for Molineux to explode in pandemonium knowing that the elusive first win of the season was very much within grasp.
VAR Drama as Guehi’s Equalizer
In their bid to grab a victory, the Wolves saw all their hopes sink when Marc Guehi of Palace headed home from a flicked corner by Daniel Munoz. Palace then had another chance to equalize with minutes to spare as Mateta’s close-range goal was disallowed by VAR when they ruled that there was a foul by Munoz on Sa. At the end of it, Palace settled for a point while the wolves agonized over another lost chance for a win.
Wolves’ Defensive Mistakes Go On
Wolves have had a season of defensive errors which cost them some much-needed points, and today was no exception. Defensive mistakes let Chalobah and Guehi find the net, and manager Gary O’Neil could be seen visibly frustrated. Wolves now have conceded a whopping 25 goals in ten games, a feat that only the third team in Premier League history has done at this stage of the season. It seems the side will have to wait much longer for a first victory. O’Neil’s side is left bottom with growing pressure in the table.
Next match approaches
Wolves might be in for a test next week as they host Southampton, who just edged Everton to win their first game. Southampton is only one point ahead of Wolves in the table, and a defeat would make things worse for Wolves in terms of relegation. O’Neil’s team needs to tighten up its defense to have any hope of climbing out of last place.
Mixed Feelings for Crystal Palace
While a point from a hard-fought match was precious, Crystal Palace left Molineux with mixed feelings. Manager Oliver Glasner will be satisfied with the team’s resilience but will be disappointed by the missed opportunities that could have sealed a win. Ismaila Sarr missed two golden chances to extend Palace’s lead before Wolves’ equalizer, which ultimately prevented them from securing three points.
Promising Run Ahead
Palace took four points from their last two games, thus ending a run of two games without defeat, which they have to draw with Fulham, Aston Villa, and Newcastle in their next matches to improve their league position. Their recent form is encouraging, but Glasner will want to see more sharp finishing from his side not to miss opportunities in the next matches.
Final Words
In short, the draw at Molineux exposed both of them to their weaknesses and potential strengths. The weak defenses of Wolves were once again open and exposed while Palace showed a real resilience and opportunism during a tough away game. The coming week’s fixture may be crucial in outlining these teams’ season long terms. With much to do, especially in defense, Wolves will be looking for more than just a victory when they host the already on the rise Palace in the coming week.