Wolves ended their Molineux campaign with a 1-1 draw against Norwich City, after Rayan Ait-Nouri’s header saw Bruno Lage’s side come from behind to claim a point. The equaliser came in a much-improved second-half for the hosts, who could have won it, had it not been for a brilliant Angus Gunn save to deny Pedro Neto.
Teemu Pukki was the man who had Norwich ahead at the break, as he cut inside and shot low with his left foot. However, Wolves responded with a goal of real determination, as Toti kept the ball alive and Ait-Nouri nodded home for an equaliser, but an old gold winner evaded the hosts.
As the season’s curtain closed at Molineux, there was time for one final clash with Norwich City, who had been relegated for some time, but threatened twice early on. On both occasions, City’s main man Teemu Puuki got in behind Willy Boly, but firstly he curled wide, before being denied by John Ruddy, before Toti threw himself in to deny Kieran Dowell a certain goal with a fine challenge.
Wolves enjoyed much of the ball in the opening half, but failed to turn that possession into chances, with Ait-Nouri and Ruben Neves both missing the target from distance. Instead, once Pukki got in down the right this time, he cut inside and rolled an effort between the legs of Coady, which left Ruddy unsighted until the ball nested into the bottom corner to his left.
There’d be no Wolves response before the break, however. One attack did tee Neves up on the edge of the box perfectly, but the Portuguese could only curl into the grateful arms of Gunn, while Hee Chan Hwang headed over when well positioned.
Half-time | Wolves 0 Norwich 1
At the break, Chiquinho took the place of Coady, but the shape remained the same, with Jonny moving into the back three. The hosts started positively too, and Neto fashioned an opening for himself on the edge of the box, where he shot wide from.
Wolves did get their equaliser, however, and it came from an unlikely source. Joao Moutinho’s corner caused confusion inside the Norwich box and Toti showed great determination to keep the scramble alive, and when a ricochet fell nicely for Ait-Nouri, he got enough power on his header to beat Gunn for 1-1.
The introduction of Chiquinho had injected new life into Wolves and his brilliantly whipped cross was met by Neto on the diving header, but Gunn somehow managed to tip the effort over the bar. Fabio Silva was another of Bruno Lage’s changes after the break and he headed over following a cross from another, Daniel Podence.
As the game, and campaign at Molineux, drifted towards its conclusion, Wolves pushed for a winner, but it wasn’t to be, and Molineux would see its first draw since Chelsea in December.
Full-time | Wolves 1 Norwich 1
Wolves | Ruddy, Jonny, Toti, Coady (Chiquinho 46), Boly, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Moutinho, Neto (Podence 74), Hwang (Silva 74), Jimenez.
Unused subs | Sa, Hoever, Marcal, Dendoncker, Trincao.
Norwich | Gunn, Aarons, Byram, Gibson, Hanley, Gilmour (Rupp 62), Dowell (Rowe 82), Normann (Sorensen 70), Lees-Melou, Pukki, Giannoulis.
Unused subs | Krul, Rashica, Tzolis, Williams, Tomkinson, Springett.
