Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
MolineuxAttendance30,997.
Saturday 15 December 2018 17:49, UK
Wolves secured a third win on the bounce as goals from Raul Jimenez and Ivan Cavaleiro gave them a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth.
Neither side were able to find their best form at Molineux but Jimenez (12) profited from Charlie Daniels' error to give Wolves the lead and, with Bournemouth pushing for an equaliser, Cavaleiro (90+4) made sure of the points deep into stoppage time.
The defeat continues a worrying run of form for Eddie Howe's side, who have now lost six of their last seven Premier League games.
They remain in the top half though while Nuno Espirito Santo's side are up to seventh, overtaking today's opponents, and just one point behind Manchester United.
Both sides failed to make the most of some presentable openings after a lively start with Josh King waiting too long to get his shot away after finding space on the right-hand side of the box in the third minute, allowing Conor Coady to slide across and divert it over the bar.
Carelessness was the theme of a first half heavily punctuated by errors but it was Bournemouth who were punished as Daniels' drilled his cross-field pass straight to Diogo Jota.
The winger drove past Nathan Ake and into the box and although he dragged his shot, Jimenez was on hand at the far post to stroke the ball into the empty net from six yards.
Bournemouth were hampered further after Tyrone Mings was forced off just after the half hour mark, holding his lower back, while Wolves lost Jota to injury after a collision with Steve Cook just before the break.
The Bournemouth defender got across superbly to deny the winger a one-on-one opportunity after Jimenez's excellent pass but Jota stayed down and was unable to continue.
Helder Costa replaced him and should have doubled Wolves' lead just before the hour after being sent clear down the right by Morgan Gibbs-White. Costa was unable to get the ball onto his favoured left foot, Jimenez was straining to get forward in support but the substitute went for goal with his right and sliced the effort horribly wide with only Asmir Begovic to beat.
Howe sent on the fit-again Callum Wilson and his introduction triggered the start of Bournemouth's best spell of the game.
Junior Stanislas rattled the bar with a free-kick from the edge of the box but, as the game wore on, Wolves wrestled back control and after Costa's perfectly-timed through ball sent him clear, Cavaleiro slotted the ball past Begovic to secure the victory in the final seconds.
The Wolves frontman showed his predatory instincts to ghost in at the far post to score the opening goal but it was his all-round play that really caught the eye. A stunning ball with the outside of his right foot to send Jota away at the end of the first half showed he is far more than just a target man. His link-up play was as immaculate as ever and with his willingness to run the channels and harry the Bournemouth defenders, even when he wasn't directly threatening the goal, he was keeping the back line occupied.
Wolves' final game before Christmas sees them host Liverpool on Friday Night Football while Bournemouth travel to Chelsea for the Carabao Cup quarter-final on Wednesday before they welcome Brighton to the Vitality Stadium next Saturday.
