Pedro Neto claims late winner as Wolves edge victory over Chelsea
Pedro Neto scored a late winner as Wolves edged Chelsea. Picture: Tim Keeton/PA
Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League last night as they were cut down to size by Wolves’ pocket-sized Portuguese connection, who combined to dramatically turn this game on its head at Molineux.
Olivier Giroud is a Frenchman having an Indian summer in an English winter as his seventh goal in as many games looked like it was going to send Frank Lampard’s side to the summit.
But instead it proved to be just the catalyst the home side needed as stunning goals from Daniel Podence and Pedro Neto earned Nuno Espirito Santo’s side a precious victory.
Chelsea have now lost back to back Premier League games after Saturday’s defeat at Everton, which was their first in 18 matches in all competitions.
Lampard admitted his side lacked the necessary energy to hold on to their lead. “There could be some fatigue,” he said. “I hate to say it after a defeat because it feels like an excuse, but even in the first 60 minutes when we were the better team we didn’t have a zip about us.
“We’ve travelled up to Everton, come back and then travelled to Wolves but everyone is in the same boat.
“At 1-0 I didn’t think we were playing brilliantly, but we had control of the game.
“Wolves played very much a counter attacking style.
“The players have to feel that on the pitch because the message was very clear about their counter attack and individuals who could hurt us and that’s disappointing.” Wolves head coach Nuno Santo said: “We always mention character when things go well and then we forget when things don’t go so well that the character is still there.
“Football is played until the last minute of the referee’s whistle but the character goes with the belief, commitment and support of each other.
“When we work so hard like the boys did we get our rewards.” Chelsea enjoyed the best of the first half before taking a deserved lead in the 50th minute.
Chelsea’s game plan appeared to be to target Wolves’ right-hand side, where Nelson Semedo is still finding his feet following his £29m summer move from Barcelona.
But it was from an inswinging corner from the opposite flank that they produced their best threat to date.
Ben Chilwell put it on a plate for Giroud, but the French striker could only plant a firm header over from point-blank range.
Wolves forced the first save when Neto connected sweetly with a volley from 20 yards that had Edouard Mendy scrambling to his right to tip around the post.
However, it was the visitors who went closest to scoring when they hit the woodwork in the 45th minute.
Mason Mount curled in an outswinging corner and a bullet header from centre back Kurt Zouma smacked down off the underside of the bar.
Chelsea started the second half in the same vein and they took the lead in the 50th minute.
Chilwell this time delivered from the left and Giroud’s volley on the half turn appeared to draw a superb save from goalkeeper Rui Patricio, but the Portugal No 1 carried the ball over the line.
However, if Chelsea thought they were going to have it all their own way, they had another thing coming as Wolves went on to control the rest of the game.
Podence, who had been Wolves’ best player, scored a stunning goal to draw his side level in the 66th minute.
The pint-sized recent Portugal cap might have been the smallest player on the pitch at 5ft 5ins, but he packs a punch.
He put Chilwell on his backside before selling Reece James a dummy and unleashed a shot which nicked off James on its way past Mendy.
Lampard looked hard at the pitchside monitor and it was easy to see why as replays showed Wolves should not have had a corner in the build-up as Thiago Silva’s clearance hit Boly on its way out of play.
The game was really hotting up and Wolves claimed a penalty after Neto went down too easily under supposed challenge from James then N’Golo Kante.
Referee Stuart Attwell initially awarded a penalty but after being invited to look at the monitor, changed his mind, which appeared to be the right decision.
Wolves then hit Chelsea on the break to score a memorable winner in the fourth minute of time added on.
Romain Saiss fed Neto, who showed Zouma a clean pair of heels before putting his laces through the ball for an angled finish beyond Mendy.
It was no more than Wolves deserved.
Patricio 7; Boly 8, Coady 7, Saiss 7; Semedo 7, Neves 6, Dendoncker 6 (Otasowie 46, 6), Marcal 6; Podence 8 (Vitinha 89, 6), F Silva 6 (Traore 61, 6), Neto 6.
Mendy 6; James 7, Zouma 6, T Silva 7, Chilwell 7; Havertz 6, Kante 6, Mount 6; Werner 8 (Kovacic 71, 6), Giroud 8 (Abraham 71, 6), Pulisic 6.
Stuart Attwell.
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