Wolves were forced to settle for a point against Newcastle United, despite Leander Dendoncker’s fourth goal of the season. The hosts recovered from the Magpie’s early opener within seven minutes and pushed for a winner from thereon but found Martin Dubravka in inspired form between the sticks for the visitors.
Miguel Almiron’s well-taken finished was cancelled out when Leander Dendoncker swept home Joao Moutinho’s corner after just 14 minutes, but then Dubravka came to the fore, producing impressive saves to keep out Raul Jimenez and Pedro Neto, as both sides finished with a point each.
Molineux’s first taste of the Premier League in 2020 brought wet and gloomy conditions and it was Newcastle’s Almiron who lit up the contest in the opening ten minutes. He’d already provided a warning side when curling wide from range, but made no mistake with his second opportunity, after Jetro Willems and Dwight Gayle set up the Paraguayan to curl into the top corner.
However, the Magpies’ lead lasted just seven minutes. Shouts for a penalty after Ciaran Clark clashed with Neto looked genuine, but VAR decided against a foul. However, it mattered not, because from the resulting corner, Moutinho crossed for Dendoncker to apply a controlled finish, after losing Federico Fernandez in the box.
Not quite at their free-flowing best, but Wolves were the dominant side from that point, yet chances were few and far between. One big opening did present itself to Jimenez however, when Adama Traore crossed for the Mexican, but his header was too close to Dubravka, who saved with his feet.
In the closing stages of the half Wolves upped the intensity and Ruben Neves twice tried his luck from range, but on neither occasion was Dubravka called into action, before the break arrived.
Half-time: Wolves 1 Newcastle 1
Wolves sprang into life straight after the break, inevitably with the help of Traore, but when his clipped crossed fell invitingly for Matt Doherty, his poked effort was hooked off the line Matthew Longstaff, before Jimenez’s volley was deflected wide.
The hosts were finding their opponents tough to break down, with Dubravka excelling between the sticks. When Dendoncker sent a deep cross onto the head of Neto, it looked for all the world like the Portuguese was going to find the back of the net, but his header was clawed away by the goalkeeper.
Nuno Espirito Santo threw Ruben Vinagre on in the closing stages in an attempt to turn the tide, but the youngster’s wayward cross in injury time summed up what had been a frustrating afternoon for the hosts.
Full-time: Wolves 1 Newcastle 1
Wolves: Patricio, Doherty, Dendoncker, Coady, Saiss, Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Traore, Neto (Vinagre 85), Jimenez.
Unused subs: Ruddy, Bennett, Kilman, Buur, Gibbs-White, Ashley-Seal.
Newcastle: Dubravka Hayden, Fernandez, Clark, Dummett (Lejeune 13), Willems, S Longstaff, M Longstaff, Gayle (Atsu 28), Almiron, Joelinton (Carroll 79).
Unused subs: Darlow, Watts, Ritchie, Allan.
