Victoria Plzen – 1
Wolves - 2
Nuno Espirito Santo’s men made it two wins from two friendly games in the stunning setting of Westendorf’s Waldstadion on Saturday afternoon.
It was a balanced opening to the game as the sides took time to get a feel for the match. Both had a half chance in the opening ten minutes as Milan Havel glanced a headed effort from a free-kick wide before Matt Doherty saw a cross intended for Dicko miss just over the forward’s reach.
But it wouldn’t be long before Dicko would have another sight of the opposition goal. Ivan Cavaleiro and Barry Douglas linked up well on the left flank before the latter fizzed a dangerous ball across the face of the Viktoria Plzen box where the striker was waiting to pounce and hammer home from a matter of yards.
Dicko continued to cause the Czech First League side problems, Joe Mason won the ball in a dangerous position and advanced forward before setting his teammate on the edge of the box, Dicko unleashed a powerful drive towards goal but his effort was well blocked at close range.
The Wolves attack continued and Santo’s men won a corner as Doherty saw a cross headed behind at the near post. The corner was taken short to Jack Price who whipped a teasing ball towards the back post where Willy Boly rose but couldn’t quite direct his headed effort on goal.
The lead was eventually doubled on the half-hour mark when Cavaleiro received the ball in the opposition half and worked into the middle of the pitch before picking out the run of Doherty who finished smartly across goal first time.
Cavaleiro looked to be the provider again as he picked out the darting run of Dicko, the striker broke forward and shaped onto his left foot to shoot but was dispossessed moments before he could pull the trigger.
Half time: Viktoria Plzen 0-2 Wolves
As with the opening pre-season friendly win against Werder Bremen on Wednesday evening, Wolves’ Head Coach made a number of changes to his side to begin the second half.
And there wasn’t much to choose between the sides after the break, with few clear-cut chances to speak of in the opening exchanges.
Douglas, who provided the ball for Wolves’ opening goal, looked to do the same with another low cut-back intended for Bright Enobakhare, but the pass was intercepted just ahead of the forward who was ready to pounce in a good position.
Michal Zyro was then picked out inside Viktoria Plzen’s box, he struck low towards the target but the opposition goalkeeper was equal to his effort and smothered the ball at his feet.
Plzen pulled a goal back in the 64th minute as Marek Bakos was picked out at the back post from a deep free-kick, he waited for the cross to drop before striking it first time across goal and finding the back of the net.
Wolves looked for a quick response and, following some neat build-up play, Sylvain Deslandes fired a low ball across the face of Plzen’s goalmouth but there were no gold shirts there to turn it home and the opposition cleared.
Zyro had the ball in the back of the net with a tidy one-on-one finish over the goalkeeper but he had be flagged offside and his effort would not stand.
The Polish forward looked lively throughout his time on the pitch and continued to threaten the Plzen back line, he found a yard of space on the edge of the box before firing goalwards but he couldn’t keep his effort down and missed over the crossbar.
Zyro then picked out Deslandes at the back post with a deep cross, the defender helped the ball back across the face of goal but saw it bobble agonisingly in the six-yard box before Plzen hooked the danger clear.
The last ten minutes of the match were played out with neither side creating a meaningful effort on goal and Wolves would go on to record their second win in four days.
Wolves: Ruddy (Norris 45’), Doherty (Batth 45’), Bennett (Simpson 61’), Miranda, Boly (Coady 61’), Douglas (Deslandes 61’); Edwards (Saiss 45’), Price (Neves 45’); Cavaleiro (Ronan 61’), Dicko (Enobakhare 45’), Mason (Zyro 45’).
Goals: Nouha Dicko (16’), Matt Doherty (31’).
