Chelsea 2 Wolves 2 - Report

Wolves were defensively resolute and created a handful of good chances in a first half where they responded to last week’s horrendous loss to Brighton.

Locked at 0-0, a second half collapse handed Chelsea the advantage. Romelu Lukaku won and converted a harsh penalty and then added a quickfire second after a calamitous error from Coady.

Wolves somehow resisted more Chelsea goals in a difficult patch in the match before springing an unlikely comeback. Francisco Trincao got Wolves back in it with a wonderful effort from 20 yards as the visitors gained some momentum.

A handful of chances could have seen them equalise, including a massive Trincao opportunity that was blocked, but Wolves were unable to find that much needed second goal.

That was until the seventh minute of added time. An accurate Chiquinho cross found Coady and the skipper smashed home his header to end Wolves’ losing run.

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

Jonny Castro Otto replaced Nelson Semedo, who will miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, while Pedro Neto and Raul Jimenez came in up front in replace of Hwang Hee-chan and Fabio Silva.

Losing Semedo also opened up a place for Ki-Jana Hoever on the bench, but Daniel Podence still missed out despite returning to training this week following a foot complaint. Max Kilman will also miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

As Lage missed the game with Covid-19, a late positive test for his brother and coach Luis Nascimento also meant he did not make the trip to Stamford Bridge. The pair watched the game from home together.

Thomas Tuchel also made three changes to his Chelsea side as he stuck with his 3-4-3 formation.

Mateo Kovacic, Christian Pulisic and Lukaku all came in as Jorginho, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz dropped out. Jorginho did not make the squad through injury, alongside N’Golo Kante.

The opening stages of the game were very much one-way traffic as Chelsea dominated possession and searched for a way through Wolves’ defensive. A crucial tackle by Jonny denied Werner a chance to run in behind and through on goal.

Ruben Neves then uncharacteristically lost possession in midfield and handed the hosts a chance. Chelsea recycled the ball from right to left and Kovacic fed Werner but the German’s effort was met by a strong hand from Jose Sa.

A good block from Coady to deny Lukaku came before Wolves finally went on the attack. Rayan Ait-Nouri's low cross found Neto, who took a touch at the near post, but he was tackled before he got his shot away.

A huge chance then saw Jimenez feed Jonny, who was tackled inside the box just 10 yards out, before the officials gave it as offside.

Wolves’ biggest chance of the half so far then fell to Romain Saiss. A free-kick found him from 10 yards but he directed his free header into the ground and watched it bounce over the bar.

The visitors were beginning to enjoy more possession and in turn they found more openings as the game settled. Werner did have the ball in the net but he was adjudged to have fouled Saiss in the build-up.

The hosts were beginning to turn the heat again and Sa had to stand his ground to make a good save from Lukaku.

Chelsea thought they had taken the lead when Ruben Loftus-Cheek bundled home from the far post following a corner, but a very long VAR check ruled the goal out. Leading up to the goal, the ball bounced off Lukaku and then back to Loftus-Cheek before he scored, and the midfielder was just offside.

On the stroke of half-time Wolves should have taken the lead after a brilliant counter-attack. Some superb play from Neto saw him cut inside and take aim, but a good Edouard Mendy save denied him. The ball then fell to Leander Dendoncker from 20 yards, with an open goal, but he blazed over.

At the other end a wonderful Sa save denied Lukaku before Wolves had another glorious chance. Ait-Nouri raced through on goal but blazed over in the last major action of the half.

Shortly after the restart, Chelsea were handed a penalty. A very harsh VAR call adjudged Saiss had fouled Lukaku in the box, after referee Peter Bankes checked the pitch side monitor. The striker stepped up to convert the spot kick.

From that moment Wolves collapsed as Chelsea quickly made it 2-0. A heavy pass from Coady to Joao Moutinho was not expected by the midfielder and the hosts stole the ball and played in Lukaku, who found the bottom corner.

A shambolic Wolves were struggling to make the simplest of passes as the coaches on the touchline seemed unable to make a decision, with Lage on the end of a telephone giving instructions from home. The visitors made two attacking changes as Hwang and Chiquinho came on for Neto and Saiss, who was struggling with a knock.

Moments later, Hwang had a massive opportunity. He was played through but goalkeeper Mendy did well to close him down and stuff out his shot.

At the other end, Wolves continued to give the ball away – with Moutinho again the culprit – and Kovacic had an effort saved by Sa.

Trincao was introduced after 76 minutes and almost immediately made an impact. Wolves broke forward and fellow substitute Chiquinho found him on the right flank. Trincao cut inside and whipped a superb shot into the far corner with his left foot to give Wolves hope.

From that moment Wolves were on the front foot and charged forward looking for an equaliser. Hwang and Wolves were vigourously appealing for a penalty when Hwang went down in the box under contact from Antonio Rudiger, but in reality the contact was minimal.

Wolves kept pushing and Trincao almost found the equaliser. He was played through but Thiago Silva recovered and made a massive block to direct his shot wide. Moments later, Jimenez smashed an effort just wide of the post.

Somehow, in the dying embers of six minutes of added time, Wolves snatched an equaliser with the final kick. A superb Chiquinho cross was met by captain Coady who smashed his header home in front of the travelling fans to end Wolves’ losing run.

Wolves: Sa, Boly, Coady, Saiss (Chiquinho, 70), Jonny, Dendoncker, Neves (Trincao, 76), Moutinho, Ait-Nouri, Neto (Hwang, 70), Jimenez.

Subs not used: Ruddy, Gomes, Hoever, Marcal, Cundle, Silva.

Chelsea: Mendy, Azpilicueta (Sarr, 86), Silva, Rudiger, James, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Alonso (Saul, 45), Pulisic, Lukaku (Havertz, 90), Werner.

Subs not used: Kepa, Chalobah, Christensen, Barkley, Mount, Ziyech.