Everton 0 Wolves 1 - Report

The Austrian striker nodded home Pedro Neto’s three minutes from time with just his second touch at Goodison Park, as Gary O’Neil claimed his maiden win as boss.

Fabio Silva had earlier missed a golden chance to put the visitors when he side footed wide clean through on goal.

But Wolves were indebted to some fine goalkeeping from Jose Sa and Everton’s poor finishing for keeping the game goal-less before Kalajdzic became the hero.

Analysis

O’Neil’s men were, in truth, second best for much of the afternoon on Merseyside, their performance badly lacking cohesion. Kalajdzic’s goal was the first effort on target by a Wolves player in the match.

But all that really mattered was the outcome and the importance of this moment and match for Kalajdzic, who missed all of last season after being seriously injured in his first game for the club, cannot be understated.

The 26-year-old appeared close to overwhelmed as team-mates celebrated around him, following a goal which finally gives Wolves season some cheer after two straight defeats.

Everton, by contrast, remain without a point and goal and may wonder how they did not score here. James Tarkowski missed a golden first half chance, while Sa brilliantly denied Abdoulaye Doucoure in the second half.

With Matheus Nunes out suspended, O’Neil was always going to be forced into at least one change. In the end he made two, Hugo Bueno handed his first start of the season in place of Ryan Ait-Nouri, with Hwang Hee-chan replacing Nunes.

Both teams had managed just one goal between them in their opening two matches and Everton’s finishing demonstrated why they have struggled.

Arnaut Danjuma could be forgiven for not having the couple more inches of height he required to meet Nathan Patterson’s inswinging cross.

But there was no excuse when he was sent clean through on goal soon after and was unable to beat Sa, the Wolves keeper getting enough on the effort to turn it onto the post. A raised assistant’s flag suggested the whole passage of play might have been irrelevant, yet replays showed the VAR check would have been very close.

Danjuma’s lack of ruthlessness paled when compared to that of Tarkowski, however. The chance was fortunate, the ball palmed into the defender’s path after Sa could not hold Nathan Patterson’s heavily deflected shot. Yet the gift was not accepted, Tarkowski hammering his shot wide.

Wolves threatened sporadically but there was little cohesion to their attacking play, Silva in particular wasteful in possession.

The final big chance of the half fell to Danjuma but his left footed volley from a Patterson cross was mis-timed and wide of the post.

Ait-Nouri replaced Hwang at half-time but it was the hosts who continued to do the pressing. Abdoulaye Doucoure should probably have taken on a shot himself rather than attempt to play in Garner. Sa was then relieved when Jarrad Branthwaite headed straight into his arms after a Garner shot had hit a crowd of bodies.

Wolves were still struggling to make any headway but for a split-second thought they had taken the lead when Silva turned in Bueno’s cross. Celebrations were quickly cut short by a raised flag and replays confirmed the striker had strayed just too far ahead of the last man when the ball was delivered.

But there was no flag a couple of minutes later when Tarkowski allowed a through ball to run and Silva beat Pickford in the race, only to side foot wide with the keeper retreating.

That meant Wolves still hadn’t registered an effort on target but Branthwaite did so forward when he unintentionally redirected a Neto free-kick toward goal, Pickford making a stunning save at full stretch.

Things were heating up and next it was Sa who showed his reflexes, tipping over when off balance after Doucoure had sent a Garner cross bouncing toward goal.

It felt like a goal was coming but neither team could maintain the basics. Doucoure produced a lovely, cool finish after being sent through by Garner but just as with Wolves and Silva, celebrations were cut short by an offside flag. There were inches in it but again, it was the right decision.

Then came the decisive moment as Neto took advantage of ample time to swing in a cross and Kalajdzic helped it on its way to the bottom corner.

Key Moments

87 GOAL Sasa Kalajdzic wins the match for Wolves, nodding home Pedro Neto’s cross.

Team

Everton (4-1-4-1): Pickford, Patterson, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Young, Gueye, Garner, Onana, Doucoure, Danjuma, Dobbin (Chermiti 66) Subs not used: Keane, Maupay, Mykolenko, Godfrey, Cannon, Onyango, Virgina (gk), Lonergan (gk).

Wolves (4-2-3-1): Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Bueno (Toti 85), Gomes, Lemina, Hwang, Neto, Cunha (Kalajdzic 85), Silva (Sarabia 73) Subs not used: Doherty, Traore, Jonny, Hodge, Bentley (gk).