Wolves 2 Leeds 3 - Report

A first goal since July 2020 for Jonny Castro Otto and a first Premier League goal for Francisco Trincao put Wolves in a commanding and deserved lead at the break.

But just five minutes into the second referee Kevin Friend sent Jimenez off, giving him a second yellow, for a glorified 50-50 with goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

That controversial decision changed the game and Wolves’ horrendous defending saw Leeds notch twice in three minutes through Jack Harrison and Rodrigo.

In the first minute of added time some more insipid Wolves defending allowed Luke Ayling to smash home and take all three points.

Bruno Lage made three changes to his side and stuck with the 3-5-2 formation.

Willy Boly, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Daniel Podence all came in as Max Kilman, Fernando Marcal and Hwang Hee-chan dropped to the bench.

Nelson Semedo, Ki-Jana Hoever and Pedro Neto missed out with injury.

Jesse Marsch made one change to his Leeds side and started in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Star winger Raphinha dropped out of the squad altogether after contracting Covid-19 and Harrison took his place in the starting XI.

Leeds did have some good news, however, as Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper returned from injury and made the bench.

In a lively Molineux atmosphere both teams had chances early on. Ait-Nouri did well to steal the ball, dance into the box and square for Podence but the winger delayed his effort when he should have shot first time from 10 yards and the ball was taken off his foot.

Leeds countered and a Daniel James cross found Rodrigo who, sliding in at the near post, got to the ball ahead of Jose Sa but lashed it side.

Just after the 10-minute mark Leeds should have scored. A big error from Ruben Neves handed the visitors the ball and Patrick Bamford carried it into the box on the right side. With the goal at his mercy he lashed it wide of the near post.

Following the fast start, the game entered a lull when injuries began to disrupt it. First, Neves went down with what looked like a jarred knee. He continued for a few minutes before Trincao took his place.

In the time Neves was trying to continue, Bamford landed awkwardly on his ankle and was also forced to come off. Sam Greenwood replaced him.

Only a minute after coming on Trincao set up the opening goal. A superb Joao Moutinho pass found him in space on the right and his low cross found Jonny who swept it home from 10 yards.

Leeds then suffered another injury five minutes before half-time as Diego Llorente came off for Robin Koch.

Trincao, who impressed since coming on, was inches away from making it 2-0 when he smashed the post with a tremendous left-footed effort from 30 yards. Moments later Jimenez should have scored when the ball fell to him on the edge of the box, after Podence stole it from Pascal Struijk, and with goalkeeper Meslier backtracking, Jimenez’s attempted chip ballooned wide.

All the disruptions meant there was eight minutes of added time before the break – before Leeds remarkably had another injury and made another substitution. Mateusz Klich came off with a head injury and Charlie Cresswell replaced him as a concussion substitute.

On the stroke of half-time a quick and clever free-kick had Podence in down the right and he cut back to Trincao who guided it home to hand Wolves a 2-0 lead at the break.

Just five minutes into the second half, Jimenez received a second yellow and was sent off for a collision with goalkeeper Meslier, who then had to come off injured and was replaced by Kristoffer Klaesson. However, on viewing a replay the decision seemed extremely harsh as it was two players vying for a loose ball and Meslier initiated the contact.

Minutes later, a protester attempted to tie himself to Sa’s goal post but the stewards were too quick for him. It was likely the latest of several protests in recent games referring to the use of oil.

With Wolves struggling for an outlet after Jimenez’s dismissal, Leeds got a goal back. An Ait-Nouri mistake put Ayling in and after he hit the post, and his follow-up was cleared off the line by Conor Coady, Harrison smashed it home.

Wolves were all over the place and within minutes Leeds were level. Sa was out of position before Romain Saiss shanked a clearance and allowed Rodrigo to finish and send the travelling fans wild.

Despite having 10 men Wolves had some moments in the final stages of the game and lifted some dangerous crosses into the box, but Leeds were looking for a winner as Sa tipped over Harrison’s effort.

Moments after it was announced there would be another eight minutes of added time, Leeds found their winner. Another lapse in concentration allowed Ayling to latch onto a loose ball in the box and finish from close range.

Wolves came close through Trincao in the closing stages of the game but could not force through an equaliser as they fell to defeat.

Wolves: Sa, Boly, Coady, Saiss, Jonny (Chiquinho, 92), Dendoncker (Silva, 92), Neves (Trincao, 25), Moutinho, Ait-Nouri, Podence (Hwang, 78), Jimenez.

Subs not used: Ruddy, Kilman, Gomes, Marcal, Cundle.

Leeds: Meslier (Klaesson, 53), Ayling, Llorente (Koch, 40), Struijk, Dallas, Klich (Cresswell, 45), Forshaw, James, Rodrigo, Harrison, Bamford (Greenwood, 23).

Subs not used: Cooper, Kenneh, Phillips, Summerville, Gelhardt.