Wolves 2 Newcastle 2 – Report

The first 45 was hit by individual mistakes as Jose Sa dropped the ball as he claimed a cross, allowing Callum Wilson to fire the Magpies ahead.

Mario Lemina headed home his first goal in Wolves colours to draw level, before Hwang made an error of his own by giving away the spot-kick, which Wilson also converted.

With the hosts pushing for an equaliser, Hwang atoned for that penalty with a smart finish in front of a buoyant home crowd.

The ending of the game was marred by Pedro Neto being stretchered off with a hamstring injury, as Wolves claimed a point at Molineux.

Analysis

Gary O’Neil made two changes and started with the 4-4-2 formation.

Nelson Semedo and Lemina, who were both suspended last week, came in for Matt Doherty and Joao Gomes.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Hugo Bueno and Joe Hodge were not involved due to injury.

Eddie Howe named a strong Newcastle side after their Champions League loss on Wednesday night, but they were without the injured Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy, and the suspended Sandro Tonali.

Newcastle came close when Sean Longstaff picked the ball up on the right, inside the box, and his shot across goal was inches away from finding the bottom corner.

In an even start to the game, Rayan Ait-Nouri went on a superb run down the left wing but his cut-back for Hwang was just ahead of the forward.

Wolves were enjoying a positive performance and almost pounced on a Newcastle error, when Hwang fed Matheus Cunha, but his shot was straight at Nick Pope.

But the visitors found the first goal after 22 minutes, after a poor mistake from goalkeeper Jose Sa. An Anthony Gordon cross came in and as Sa came to claim it, he collided with Boubacar Traore and dropped the ball. Wilson’s first effort was blocked superbly by Toti Gomes, but his second effort found the bottom corner.

Wolves fought back quickly and came close through Hwang, before Cunha went on a magnificent solo run and saw his effort saved by Pope.

In an end-to-end game, Longstaff then had a shot blocked after a good run by Bruno Guimaraes.

A good header from Semedo down to Neto allowed the winger to cut inside and his strong shot forced a good save from Pope.

And from the resulting corner, Wolves equalised. Neto whipped in the set piece and Lemina beat Kieran Trippier at the far post to head home – which also handed Neto his seventh assist of the season.

It looked like both teams would enter the break at 1-1, before a Hwang mistake handed Newcastle a penalty on the stroke of half-time. He delayed his clearance after a Newcastle corner and as Fabian Schar came in to steal the ball, Hwang caught the defender. A long VAR check did not overturn the decision and Wilson dispatched the spot-kick, despite Sa getting a hand to it.

Joelinton had a good chance to make it 3-1 but his tame shot was saved, before Wolves were claiming a penalty for a Guimaraes handball. A short VAR check did not give it before half-time came.

In a lively start to the second half, Wolves looked threatening as they attacked down the wings.

But Newcastle were gifted another chance when Craig Dawson’s poor header landed to Miguel Almiron and his cross flashed across goal.

The home crowd were becoming increasingly angry with the officials, but they were even more frustrated when Semedo was found in good space on the right but his cross was straight at Pope.

Wolves finally found their equaliser after 72 minutes and it came from a likely source, with an unlikely creator. Toti picked the ball up on the right after a set piece, danced beyond a couple Newcastle players and fed Hwang, who showed incredible composure to score his seventh of the season.

Wolves were on top and looking for a winner, until disaster struck when Neto pulled up on his right hamstring and needed to be stretchered off the field.

A natural lull in the game gave Newcastle a foothold, but both sides were happy to take a point as the rain hammered down in Wolverhampton.

Key Moments

GOAL 22 Wilson opens the scoring

GOAL 36 Lemina equalises for Wolves

GOAL 45+4 Wilson scores from the penalty spot

GOAL 71 Hwang drags Wolves level

Teams

Wolves: Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Traore (Doyle, 54), Lemina (Gomes, 85), Neto (Kalajdzic, 77), Cunha, Hwang.

Subs not used: Bentley, S.Bueno, Jonny, Doherty, Sarabia, Silva.

Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron (Willock, 72), Wilson, Gordon.

Subs not used: Gillespie, Dubravka, Krafth, Livramento, Dummett, Targett, Hall, Ritchie.