Wolves 1 Ipswich 0 - Report and pictures

The 24-year-old forward pounced five minutes before the break, earning Wolves a first victory in 14 attempts against former boss Mick McCarthy.

Barry Douglas also went close late on for the hosts in a game of few clear-cut chances.

Ipswich’s best chance fell to Martyn Waghorn but he pulled his finish wide of the post.

Analysis

Cavaleiro’s seventh goal of the season earned Wolves an eighth win in nine games, on a day made even better by the stumblings of their promotion rivals.

Cardiff’s defeat at Bolton and Bristol City’s draw at QPR means the gap between the leaders and third place now stands at ten points.

This was hardly the most fluent performance from Nuno Espirito Santo’s team but they more than worthy winners against a stubborn Ipswich team.

For the third time in the last four games, one goal proved enough, Cavaleiro pouncing on the first real moment of hesitation in the visiting defence.

Wolves, meanwhile, have now kept four clean sheets on the spin and are yet to concede in the month of December.

The Wolves starting line-up featured just one change from the team which beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 last time out, the fit-again Douglas replacing Ruben Vinagre on the left of midfield.

It said everything about the rather subdued start that Wolves’s best effort of the opennig quarter was directed toward their own goal.

Conor Coady played a return pass which goalkeeper John Ruddy almost contrived to let through into the net, stumbling over the ball before recovering to clear as Ipswich striker Joe Garner bore down on goal.

Diogo Jota had the home side’s first serious effort in the right direction, a well struck half volley which Bartosz Bialkowski saved diving to his left.

Otherwise things were desperately subdued, with Ipswich content to sit deep, while Wolves worked to find an opening.

Waghorn lifted a free-kick into the South Bank for the visitors, before Bersant Celina did slightly better with an effort which was still comfortable for Ruddy.

It took until the 34th minute for the first clear-cut chance to arrive. Willy Boly’s ball over the top was chested down by Jota but the Portuguese forward was denied a likely opener by Myles Kenlock, who dived in to block the shot.

Ruben Neves drilled an effort just over the bar from the resulting corner as things finally began to heat up.

The deadlock was broken five minutes before the break, with the first real moment of hesitation in the till then excellent Ipswich defence.

Jota’s cross from the right was left by Adam Webster and it proved a fatal mistake.

The ball ran to Cavaleiro, who made the rest look easy, cutting inside before curling a fine finish into the bottom corner.

Webster redeemed himself somewhat by making a superb block to deny Cavaleiro a second five minutes after the break, after the Portuguese forward and raced on to a perfectly weighted Jota through pass.

Ipswich had offered virtually nothing to that point but came close to leveller when Kevin Bru crossed for Waghorn and the striker rushed a half-volley wide of the post.

Suddenly, Wolves found themselves on the back foot. Coady needed to be alert to clear a dangerous Gavin Ward cross at the near post, while Bru curled a long-range effort straight into the arms of Ruddy.

Jota sent a couple of efforts off target as Wolves looked to reassert a little control over proceedings.

Another fine Webster challenge was required to dispossess Bright Enobakhare when the substitute was about to pull the trigger.

As the visitors tired, Wolves threatened to add further to their lead.

Helder Costa hooked a volley over the bar, while Douglas pulled a free-kick inches wide and Romain Saiss headed off target when it looked easier to score.

Key Moments

40 GOAL Ivan Cavaleiro puts Wolves ahead, collecting the ball on the left of the box before cutting inside and firing a right-footed finish into the bottom corner.

Teams

Wolves (3-4-3): Ruddy, Bennett, Coady (c), Boly, Doherty, Saiss, Neves, Douglas, Cavaleiro (Enobakhare 66), Bonatini (Costa 78), Jota (N’Diaye 88) Subs not used: N’Diaye, Batth, Gibbs-White, Vinagre, Norris (gk).

Ipswich (4-2-3-1): Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers, Webster, Kenlock, Connolly, Bru (Bishop 66), Ward, Celina, Waghorn (McGoldrick 72), Garner (Sears 78) Subs not used: Smith, McDonnell, Webber, Crowe (gk).