Fabio Silva’s first goal for Wolves in the Premier League was not enough to turn around the result in his side’s favour as the old gold fell to defeat against Burnley.
The 18-year-old won and scored a penalty with just two minutes remaining in their top-flight clash at Turf Moor to get Wolves back in the match having fallen behind to a Ashley Barnes header and a Chris Wood tap in, but the fightback came too late from Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, who were unable to snatch a late point.
Having made four changes to the side which beat Chelsea six days previously, including handing a first Premier League start to US International Owen Otasowie, Wolves started the brighter of the two sides, putting the Burnley defence under pressure through their quick pressing.
It was the visitors who had the opening chance of the game when Otasowie was brought down in a dangerous position outside the Burnley penalty area, but Pedro Neto’s driven free-kick was cleared away comfortably by the Clarets.
Despite Wolves’ positive start, Burnley could have found the lead with 15 minutes on the clock through Wood. The New Zealand striker got on the end of the Dwight McNeil cross inside the centre of the penalty area, but with Romain Saiss not allowing him any space with his back to goal, Wood was unable to get his overhead effort on target, narrowly missing the upright.
Nuno’s men kept up their pressure throughout the first-half, and had opportunities to open the scoring through a Saiss header, after the Moroccan got up highest from a corner, before Neto drove through the Burnley defence and forced a low save from Nick Pope.
Pope’s opposite number, Rui Patricio, had to be at his best to deny Barnes who had broken round the back of the Wolves defence from a simple long-ball over the top, but the Portuguese goalkeeper was able to get a foot on the Burnley man’s low effort as he bared down one-on-one.
However, it didn’t take Barnes long to open the scoring. From a quick counter-attack as Wolves were looking to cut Burnley open, the hosts broke quickly, and Charlie Taylor was found on the byline and aimed a cross onto the head of Barnes at the back post, who nodded home from a matter of yards.
Moments later, Ruben Neves had two long-range efforts in the hope of getting Wolves back on level terms. The first, from a free-kick 25 yards out took a deflection off the wall before narrowly missing Pope’s woodwork, while the goalkeeper was at full stretch from Neves’s second strike from the resulting corner which was aimed out to the Portuguese midfielder who was lurking on the edge of the penalty area.
Half-time: Burnley 1 Wolves 0
Burnley came out strong in the second-half, and the hosts almost capitalised on an immediate error in the Wolves ranks through Josh Brownhill. The midfielder was first to a loose touch by Neves before lashing a long-range effort off the top of the crossbar.
The pressure of Burnley paid dividends moments later as the Clarets doubled their lead. As a free-kick was aimed towards the Wolves penalty area, the ball was headed into the area before falling to the feet of Wood inside the six yard box, who hammered the ball into the back of the net.
Wolves attempted to get themselves back into the contest by pressing Burnley high, as well as making a double change to switch formation to a back four.
Silva and Adama Traore were the two to come on, and it was the latter almost made an immediate impact as the Spaniard whipped a cross towards Neto at the far post, but his fellow forward was unable to get his header to drop underneath Pope’s crossbar.
Another long ball over the top almost caught Wolves napping, as Wood got the wrong side of the defence. However, Patricio once again stood up tall when faced one-on-one and used his feet to stop the forward from notching his second of the match.
With the clock ticking, Wolves were throwing everything forward, and Daniel Podence had the best of the chances to half the deficit, as he cleverly got in between the Burnley defence with tricky footwork, but his shot from eight yards out was deflected behind.
The visitors continued to push players forward in the search of a way back into the tie, and they got their reward when Silva was brought down in the area by Josh Benson – moments after the Burnley man had come off the bench – following good work by the Portuguese.
The 18-year-old took the responsibility of the penalty himself and made no mistake from the spot, as he slammed the ball into the bottom left corner of the net and beyond the reach of Pope, to become Wolves’ youngest ever Premier League goalscorer.
Into the final of five added on minutes, Wolves had a glorious opportunity to level the match, but it wasn’t to be for the old gold as Saiss hit his shot wide at the far post.
Full-time: Burnley 2 Wolves 1
Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Brady (Pieters 69), Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil (Benson 87), Wood, Barnes (Rodriquez 82).
Unused subs: Peacock-Farrell, Norris, Dunne, Long, Bardsley, Stephens.
Wolves: Patricio, Semedo, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Ait-Nouri (Traore 60), Neves (Vitinha 76), Moutinho, Otasowie (Silva 60), Podence, Neto.
Unused subs: Ruddy, Hoever, Boly, Marcal, Perry, Corbeanu.
Referee: Lee Mason
