Report | Wolves 2-6 Chelsea

After a thrilling, and even first half, Wolves fell to a heavy 6-2 defeat against Chelsea on Molineux’s first outing of the 2024/25 season.

Chelsea twice led through Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer, but twice Wolves fought back before the break, with Matheus Cunha whipping home Rayan Ait-Nouri’s pass for 1-1 and Jorgen Strand Larsen turning home Toti’s header for 2-2 – his first goal for the club.

However, defensive mistakes littered their performance after the interval, from the moment Noni Madueke came inside and fired home a deflected shot past Jose Sa. The Blues man was repeatedly given space down the Wolves left and punished the hosts with two more low finishes to complete his hat-trick.

The eighth and final goal of the afternoon went the way of the visitors too, as Joao Felix fired home to conclude a difficult first afternoon of the season at Molineux for Gary O’Neil’s side.

If the head coach’s intention was to keep things tight during the opening stages, his side’s start will have changed those plans. When Madueke forced an early save out of Sa at his near post, Chelsea had themselves a corner they’d take full advantage of, with Cunha’s flick at the near post falling to an unmarked Jackson at the back and he had the simple task of nodding home into the net after just two minutes.

Wolves’ response was positive however, and Yerson Mosquera should have had them level before ten minutes were up. Cunha’s cross was perfect for the Colombian, who’d risen highest in the box, but his glancing header clipped the outside of the post to let Chelsea off.

That opening gave Wolves belief and when Mario Lemina slipped in Strand Larsen, he’d strayed beyond the last defender, meaning his slick cut back and Cunha’s clinical finish counted for nothing. It wasn’t the first time the pair had linked up and the Norwegian’s cross could only be turned into the side netting by the Brazilian soon after.

However, that same man wouldn’t be denied the equaliser he deserved with the half hour approaching. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde regained possession in the middle of the park and Wolves were in business. Ait-Nouri carried forward in his typically unorthodox fashion, but after opting against finding Hee Chan Hwang, jabbed the ball in the opposite direction to Cunha, who whipped home impressively over Sanchez.

Wolves were the better side at that point and when Lemina danced through the Chelsea midfield and fed Matt Doherty, the Irishman’s pull back for Cunha was clean, as was his connection on the shot, but Levi Colwill bravely threw himself in front of the ball to diverted on to the top of crossbar.

However, instead it would be the visitors who struck next. Joao Gomes fizzed an effort wide of Robert Sanchez’s post, but the goalkeeper reacted quickest to launch up field and when Jackson capitalised on indecision from Mosquera, he set up Palmer to loft over Sa and restore Chelsea’s advantage.

To cap a chaotic first half, Wolves wouldn’t be denied parity at the break. Ait-Nouri’s clipped free-kick towards the back post was headed back into the flurry of bodies by Toti and Strand Larsen stretched out a leg to divert the ball back into the opposition direction and into the net, beyond a rooted Sanchez. Two all at the break.

Half-time | Wolves 2-2 Chelsea

While it made for great entertainment for the neutrals, both sides’ difficulties with defending continued into the second period, and it was Wolves punished first as Palmer worked the ball to Madueke, who was allowed to come inside and fire a left footed effort, which deflected off Ait-Nouri and into the net.

Then, when the Algerian was caught out in the middle of the park, Wolves were exposed down their left again and Chelsea exploited it when Palmer slipped in Madueke to fire between the legs of Sa for 4-2.

It was to get worse for the hosts too. When Joao Gomes was robbed by Enzo Fernandez in dangerous territory, Chelsea once again switched it to their right, where Madueke had yet again got the wrong side of Ait-Nouri and he fired past Sa with ease to complete his hat-trick.

Wolves momentarily showed promise, with Lemina’s crisp finish flying past Sanchez, but the flag was raised for an offside on Toti in the build-up. Instead, it was Chelsea who helped themselves to the eighth goal of the season when Pedro Neto flew down the left and cut back for Felix to fire into the top corner.

An afternoon to forget was summed up when a stray Chelsea back pass opened the door for Strand Larsen, but unopposed inside the opposition box he could only stroke off target. Wolves well beaten at Molineux.

Full-time | Wolves 2-6 Chelsea

Wolves | Sa, Doherty, Mosquera, Toti, Ait-Nouri (Dawson 67), Lemina (Doyle 90), J Gomes, Cunha (Sarabia 67), Bellegarde (R Gomes 68), Hwang (Podence 59), Strand Larsen.

Unused subs | Bentley, Bueno, Traore, Guedes.

Chelsea | Sanchez, Gusto, Colwill, Fofana, Cucurella (Veiga 82), Caicedo (Dewsbury-Hall 76), Fernandez, Palmer (Nkunku 83), Madueke, Mudryk (Neto 45), Jackson (Felix 68).

Unused subs | Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Guiu.