Wolves extended their unbeaten Premier League run to nine matches with a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United as both teams battled for the chance to make it into fifth spot.
Matt Doherty’s second-half header cancelled out Lys Mousset’s opener – scored in just the second minute of the match, as Wolves improved markedly in the second period at Molineux.
With just over a minute into the contest Wolves were stunned as the visitors scored from their first attack. From a throw-in on the right-hand side, George Baldock picked up the ball and swung a cross into the penalty area which evaded the leaping heads of Leander Dendoncker and Doherty but fell kindly to the feet of Mousset who fired past Rui Patricio and into the corner of the net.
Going behind sprung Wolves into life and the hosts had two chances in a matter of seconds in their attempt for an equaliser. Doherty skipped past his fellow Irish wing-back Enda Stevens before lifting a cross into the area for Raul Jimenez, but the Mexican’s on-target header was spectacularly pushed over the crossbar by Dean Henderson.
From the resulting corner, Joao Moutinho’s cross eventually found the feet of Dendoncker whose goalbound effort was blocked before the Blades were able to clear the danger.
On 19 minutes, the Wolves supporters broke into song for former striker Benik Afobe, who on the morning of the match announced his two-year-old daughter Amora had died two days earlier, while the Wolves players also sported black armbands as a mark of commemoration.
Sheffield United had the best chance of the first-half to double their advantage when John Fleck was played in on goal by Mousset, but Patricio was quick off his line to pounce on Fleck’s low shot.
Moments later, Adama Traore went on the trickiest of runs as he turned United players inside and out down the Wolves right, and after his far post cross was headed out of the area towards Ruben Neves on the edge of the box, the Portuguese let fly, but his long-range effort missed Henderson’s left upright. Stevens then fired high and wide for the visitors just minutes before the half-time whistle.
Half-time: Wolves 0 Sheffield United 1
Sheffield United almost started the second-half as they did the first, but this time Patricio was able to block David McGoldrick’s effort with his legs to halt the Blades from going two to the good. Minutes later, the United striker had another chance to make it two when he got behind Conor Coady, but fortunately for Wolves, his low effort trickled into the body of Patricio.
Wolves grew into the half and had their best chance to get level when Neves picked out Jimenez with a delightful ball over the top, and after shaking off his marker, the forward attempted a ‘rabona’ cross to Diogo Jota, but Henderson was able to dive out and stop the ball from reaching the Portuguese.
The pressure from the home side finally paid off mid-way through the second-half when Neves played in Jimenez behind the United defence. Instead of laying the ball off to Traore, Jimenez spun and lifted a cross towards the far post to find an onrushing Doherty who gently guided his header into the back of the net.
The visitors came inches away from getting back in front when McGoldrick jumped highest in the box from a free-kick but could only guide his header just wide of the post.
Traore, who used his pace to get behind the United defence all game, was back at it again in the dying minutes of the 90 as he cut back at the byline before laying the ball into the feet of an awaiting Jota, however, the forward was unable to keep his shot down from 10 yards out.
As the match entered the three minutes of added time, Wolves had a free-kick 25 yards out from goal after Jota was chopped down by John Egan. Following the set-piece, the ball found its way back out to Moutinho whose effort volleyed effort missed the target.
With time running out, the Blades had a chance to claim all three points when substitute Ollie McBurnie headed over from six yards out, while the visitors were able to deal with a late Wolves free-kick, which was aimed towards Maximilian Kilman - who was making his full Premier League debut - as the match ended all square.
Full-time: Wolves 1 Sheffield United 1
Wolves: Patricio, Doherty, Dendoncker, Coady, Kilman, Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Traore, Jota, Jimenez.
Unused subs: Ruddy, Vallejo, Otasowie, Vinagre, Cundle, Neto, Cutrone.
Sheff United: Henderson, Baldock, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Stevens, Lundstram (Freeman 90), Norwood, Fleck, McGoldrick (McBurnie 73), Mousset (Robinson 86).
Unused subs: Moore, Jagielka, Besic, Sharp.
Referee: David Coote
Attendance: 31,642
