Wolves were the dominant side down on the south coast on Wednesday night, but were made to rue missed chances, particularly after the break, as they were held to a stalemate by AFC Bournemouth.
Matheus Nunes hit the woodwork in the opening period, while Pedro Neto also shot agonisingly wide, but it was in the second-half where Wolves should have claimed maximum points. Raul Jimenez clipped wide when clean through and Daniel Podence had a header cleared off the line, as Wolves were held by the stubborn Cherries.
The first-half down in Dorset was one of Wolves dominance, and close calls, but without that final touch to find the decisive breakthrough. The closest the old gold came to an opener would have been a stunner, as Joao Moutinho’s cross was nodded towards Nunes by Neto, and the midfielder caught his half-volley sweetly, but it clipped off the top of the crossbar.
Neto was the provider during that early flurry forward, and soon after was going for goal himself. The Portuguese led the Wolves counter attack, chopping inside on his left foot, and firing agonisingly wide. That opportunity had come after Bournemouth’s own Neto, between the sticks for the hosts, had tipped over Jimenez’s header.
While home chances were hard to come back, Wolves continued to ask questions, but were left frustrated. Another counter attack saw Neto attempt to set up Ruben Neves, before finding Goncalo Guedes, who cut inside on his right foot and shot straight at the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
Half-time | Bournemouth 0-0 Wolves
The second-half followed a similar pattern for the visitors unfortunately, as Bournemouth continued to frustrate. While the chances after the break were more clearcut than the first, none were made to count for Bruno Lage’s side.
The tide had turned slightly when Podence was introduced, adding an extra attacking body to the Wolves side, but before then, Neto had shot wide of the near post, as had Guedes, while Jimenez got in the way of Rayan Ait-Nouri’s goalbound volley.
With Podence and Adama Traore on the pitch, Wolves asked more questions however, and when the number ten sent the number nine clean through, the old gold looked on for their goal, but Jimenez clipped over the goalkeeper and wide of the mark.
Then Podence himself came close, as Jimenez headed Moutinho’s cross on for his teammate, but as Podence connected with the diving header, Lloyd Kelly came over the clear off the line. Then, the pair combined as Podence crossed for Jimenez to head wide.
Moutinho himself had a chance blocked in added time, but as Jimenez opted to shoot on his unfavoured left foot, rather than feed the bodies to his side, the last chance was gone, and Wolves had to settle for a point.
Full-time | Bournemouth 0-0 Wolves
Wolves | Sa, Semedo (Ait-Nouri 59), Collins, Kilman, Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Nunes (Podence 75), Neto, Guedes (Traore 75), Jimenez.
Unused subs | Sarkic, Toti, Ronan, Dendoncker, Campbell, Hwang.
Bournemouth | Neto, Cook, Kelly, Mepham, Lerma, Solanke, Christie (Anthony 85), Smith, Tavernier, Billing (Moore 76), Zemura (Fredericks 69).
Unused subs | Travers, Marcondes, Stacey, Lowe, Hill, Senesi.
