Wolves suffered defeat at Molineux after Leeds United prevailed in an entertaining, but ultimately frustrating six-goal thriller, after the old gold threatened a dramatic comeback.
Julen Lopetegui’s side made life difficult for themselves by falling three behind to three avoidable goals converted by Jack Harrison, Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen, the third of which came in the 62nd minute, when Wolves looked well-beaten.
The hosts did rally however, and Jonny and Matheus Cunha made it a contest, setting up an entertaining finish, but Jonny’s red card swung the momentum back towards the visitors, who added a fourth through Rodrigo, with a goal shrouded in more VAR controversy, leading to the dismissal of unused substitute Matheus Nunes.
Wolves and Leeds, two teams in the thick of the battle in the bottom half of the Premier League, promised to serve up a battle and in the pouring Molineux rain, it was the visitors to struck the opener six minutes in, as Wilfried Gnoto glided past Nelson Semedo on the Wolves right and laid across for Harrison to sweep home the opener.
VAR was front and centre in last weekend’s defeat to Newcastle United, and it was once again the topic on all Wolves lips moments later when Semedo appeared to be caught by Junior Firpo, but Michael Salisbury and his video assistants decided not. Despite that decision, Wolves came close to levelling when Daniel Podence was denied by Illan Meslier and Pedro Neto’s follow up was blocked on the line.
That chance was bettered on 27 minutes when Ruben Neves found Maximilian Kilman down the left and his brilliant delivery was missed by Mario Lemina, before Semedo’s effort was blocked by the Leeds defence and Podence opted for the acrobatic strike which flew off target.
Countless times Wolves were getting into dangerous positions, but their decision making was left wanting. The hosts did come close when Neves let fly and had Meslier flying to his left, but it failed to hit the target, while at the other end Weston McKennie connected well with his volley from a Leeds corner, but Craig Dawson was in the right place to block.
Half-time | Wolves 0-1 Leeds
Straight after the restart Lemina did have the ball in the Leeds net, bundling home from close range, only to see the offside flag deny him. Instead, it was the visitors who doubled their lead when Ayling was given the freedom of Molineux to head home a corner at the back post to make Wolves’ predicament too difficult to return from.
The introduction of Adama Traore soon after did spring Wolves back into life, and when he squared for Cunha, who helped it on to Pablo Sarabia, the Spaniard got his shot away, but watched his bounce wide of the far post.
But while Wolves continued to pass up their opportunities, Leeds were ruthless at the other end. Kristensen got the better of Jonny inside the Wolves area, showing more strength, and fired between the legs of Jose Sa.
The old gold did respond quickly to that set back, as Meslier charged out of his goal to head clear, but left his goal unguarded, and Jonny made him pay by returning first time into an open goal from all of 45 yards.
That goal was the Spaniard’s first of the season, and Jimenez should have got of the mark in the Premier League moments later when Adama squared for him and the Mexican connected well, but Meslier stuck out a strong arm to save.
There was nothing the Leeds goalkeeper could do moments later however, as a Wolves set piece was cleared as far as Joao Gomes, who set Cunha and the Brazilian fired home, with the aid of a big deflection, wrong-footing Meslier and making Molineux believe with 15 minutes remaining.
Remarkably, Wolves could actually have pulled themselves level when Sarabia had an effort turned over at the near post, but that was the closest the hosts got to a dramatic comeback, as an unpredictable afternoon took another twist when Jonny caught Ayling high, and although the Wolves man was booked, this time the referee consulted the monitor and overturned his decision to dismiss Jonny.
That red card sucked the momentum out of the Wolves fightback and Molineux ended as one frustrated place after Leeds added a fourth, as Adama appeared to have his shirt pulled before Rodrigo clipped in a fourth. Wolves protested, Salisbury checked the monitor, but went with his on-field decision. Like many inside Molineux, Nunes took exception and was sent off for his protests off the pitch, ended the game on a sour note.
Full-time | Wolves 2-4 Leeds
Wolves | Sa, Semedo (Cunha 57), Dawson (Collins 46), Kilman, Jonny, Lemina, Gomes, Neves, Neto (Sarabia 46), Podence (Adama 57), Jimenez.
Unused subs | Bentley, Toti, Moutinho, Nunes, Costa.
Leeds | Meslier, Ayling, Wober, Koch, Firpo (Struijk 81), Roca, McKennie, Aaronson (Summerville 81), Harrison, Gnoto (Kristensen 61), Bamford (Rodrigo 67).
Unused subs | Robles, Cooper, Sinisterra, Rutter, Gray.
