Wolves scored twice in the Premier League for the first time this season, but despite their best efforts, the old gold’s ten men were beaten 3-2 by Brighton & Hove Albion, who struck the winner inside the final ten minutes, following an eventful Molineux afternoon.
Earlier in the afternoon, the old gold had overturned Brighton’s early lead, given to them by Adam Lallana, as Goncalo Guedes and a Ruben Neves penalty put Wolves in front, but the Seagulls levelled through Kaoru Mitoma, who was then hauled down by Nelson Semedo for a first-half red card.
It took a while for that advantage to tell, as Wolves continued to battle for what would have been a deserved point, but Pascal Gross slid in seven minutes from time to earn the visitors the win.
Molineux fixtures this season haven’t been known for their lively starts, but on Bonfire Night, this game took little time to spark into life. Nathan Collins had already produced two vital blocks to deny Solly March in the opening stages, but when Leandro Trossard played in Lallana, he guided into the top corner to give the visitors an early lead.
At Brentford last week, Wolves responded to falling behind within two minutes, and history repeated itself at Molineux this time. Boubacar Traore’s brilliant through ball freed Guedes, who carried the ball into the box and, despite being on the fall, sorted his feet to shift the ball out of the way of Robert Sanchez for his first Wolves goal.
That goal was the perfect response, and on 35 minutes, Wolves continued the positivity. Daniel Podence’s cross was hopeful more than anything else, but Lewis Dunk left a raised arm in the air and made contact. After a lengthy VAR check, the penalty was given, and Neves fired high to Sanchez’s right to make it 2-1.
However, Wolves would be denied the luxury of going in for the break ahead, as Albion found their equaliser with half-time approaching. Lallana turned provider this time, helping the ball to the back post, where Mitoma got the better of Semedo in the air to nod past Jose Sa.
That wasn’t Semedo’s final involvement in the half however, as his dismissal just before the break changed the complexion of the game. Mitoma got away from the full-back and was hauled down with both arms – red card for Semedo and 45 minutes a man light for Wolves.
Half-time | Wolves 2-2 Brighton
As expected, the Seagulls had plenty of the ball after the break, owing to their extra man, but a wayward Adam Webster header was all they could muster from the opening 15 minutes of the second-half, while Sanchez had to stretch to tip over Guedes’ dropping header.
His opposite number Sa waited until the 66th minute to pick out his best save of the game, flying through the air to palm away Alexis Mac Allister’s free-kick. The Argentine then curled another set piece over, as Wolves continued to hold on, while remaining a threat on the break, with fresh legs via Adama Traore and Rayan Ait-Nouri off the bench.
It was through Adama where Wolves almost retook the lead, as Neves slipped him in from a free-kick and the Spaniard hit a vicious shot goalwards on the angle which Sanchez turned away. However, instead it was the visitors who took the initiative as Mitoma worked his way into the box and his low ball was turned in on the slide by Gross.
Half chances did arrive in the closing stages, Ait-Nouri shot from a tight angle when a cross was the better option, while Neves had a shot blocked when he didn’t connect cleanly, leaving Wolves disappointed all their effort went to waste.
Full-time | Wolves 2-3 Brighton
Wolves | Sa, Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno, B Traore (Ronan 90), Moutinho, Neves, Podence (Jonny 46), Guedes (Ait-Nouri 74), Hwang (A Traore 68).
Unused subs | Sarkic, Mosquera, Hodge, Fraser, Griffiths.
Brighton | Sanchez, Gross, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan (Undav 82), Caicedo, Mac Allsiter, Mitoma (Veltman 90), March, Lallana (Welbeck 64), Trossard (Gilmour 82).
Unused subs | Steele, Lamptey, Colwill, Sarmiento, Enciso.
