Wolves’ stunning late show rocked Tottenham and denied Spurs the chance to return to the top of the Premier League. Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina scored in stoppage time to snatch a thrilling – but deserved – 2-1 victory. Brennan Johnson’s early strike – his first Spurs goal – had given the visitors the lead and they looked on course for a smash-and-grab win at Molineux. Tottenham rode their luck as Wolves constantly let them off the hook until Sarabia and Lemina sparked a sensational finish. They were heading two points clear at the top of the table but have now suffered successive defeats. Wolves, meanwhile, hit back from their controversial 2-1 loss at Sheffield United to underline the clear progress they are making under Gary O’Neil. Spurs suffered their first wobble under Ange Postecoglou in their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea having also lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven until January with injuries. Suspensions to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie compounded their issues before arriving at Molineux yet they initially showed no scars from Monday’s chaos and took the lead after just three minutes. It was poor from Wolves, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes were hoodwinked by Dejan Kulusevski’s cute drag and flick which allowed Pedro Porro to cross low for Johnson. He had run on the blindside of Nelson Semedo and, with the defender caught out, tapped in from close range. It was the Wales international’s first goal since April – which also came against Wolves. Far from being shellshocked, the hosts responded well and Ben Davies blocked a shot from the rampaging Ait-Nouri as Wolves’ tenacity left Spurs flustered. Tottenham were needlessly tentative at the back, perhaps from Monday’s carnage, but continued to survive with Wolves’ final ball consistently failing them. They still needed Guglielmo Vicario to save well from Lemina before the midfielder had a header deflect over and the goalkeeper also gathered Toti Gomes’ effort in stoppage time. Wolves emerged after the break in the same combative fashion and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde ballooned over with Matheus Cunha also curling wide. The hosts were getting closer and should have levelled after 54 minutes when Hwang Hee-Chan missed a golden chance. A poor corner eventually fell to Gomes and his shot deflected into the path of Hwang but, with just Vicario to beat, the seven-goal forward scuffed wide. Without star man Pedro Neto Wolves lacked a killer touch, similar to Tottenham – missing main schemer Maddison – who had created nothing since their early opener. The hosts’ dominance had nullified Spurs but they were still behind and their desperation for a leveller began to leave spaces, with Johnson curling wide after a rare break. Wolves looked to be running out of ideas with time ticking by, although Sasa Kalajdzic wastefully headed over, and Giovani Lo Celso almost snatched an undeserved second with two minutes left but Jose Sa turned his effort over. Little suggested the drama to come but Wolves then turned the game on its head in stoppage time. O’Neil’s side finally got the leveller they deserved when substitute Sarabia, on the pitch for just two minutes, collected Cunha’s clipped ball and smashed past Vicario. Then, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Sarabia was sent scampering after a quick free-kick and he found Lemina to turn in and send Molineux wild. Read More Ben Stokes and Joe Root give England hope of ending World Cup on a high From Covid to the Copper Box: Maia Lumsden relishes her ‘unbelievable’ return On this day in 2015: Stuart Lancaster resigns as England head coach Mauricio Pochettino: Easier for new players at Man City than ‘evolving’ Chelsea Don’t worry about it – Ange Postecoglou brushes off series of Spurs setbacks Harry Maguire ‘showing he can do the job’ – Erik ten Hag
Wolves’ stunning late show rocked Tottenham and denied Spurs the chance to return to the top of the Premier League.
Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina scored in stoppage time to snatch a thrilling – but deserved – 2-1 victory.
Brennan Johnson’s early strike – his first Spurs goal – had given the visitors the lead and they looked on course for a smash-and-grab win at Molineux.
Tottenham rode their luck as Wolves constantly let them off the hook until Sarabia and Lemina sparked a sensational finish.
They were heading two points clear at the top of the table but have now suffered successive defeats.
Wolves, meanwhile, hit back from their controversial 2-1 loss at Sheffield United to underline the clear progress they are making under Gary O’Neil.
Spurs suffered their first wobble under Ange Postecoglou in their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea having also lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven until January with injuries.
Suspensions to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie compounded their issues before arriving at Molineux yet they initially showed no scars from Monday’s chaos and took the lead after just three minutes.
It was poor from Wolves, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes were hoodwinked by Dejan Kulusevski’s cute drag and flick which allowed Pedro Porro to cross low for Johnson.
He had run on the blindside of Nelson Semedo and, with the defender caught out, tapped in from close range. It was the Wales international’s first goal since April – which also came against Wolves.
Far from being shellshocked, the hosts responded well and Ben Davies blocked a shot from the rampaging Ait-Nouri as Wolves’ tenacity left Spurs flustered.
Tottenham were needlessly tentative at the back, perhaps from Monday’s carnage, but continued to survive with Wolves’ final ball consistently failing them.
They still needed Guglielmo Vicario to save well from Lemina before the midfielder had a header deflect over and the goalkeeper also gathered Toti Gomes’ effort in stoppage time.
Wolves emerged after the break in the same combative fashion and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde ballooned over with Matheus Cunha also curling wide.
The hosts were getting closer and should have levelled after 54 minutes when Hwang Hee-Chan missed a golden chance.
A poor corner eventually fell to Gomes and his shot deflected into the path of Hwang but, with just Vicario to beat, the seven-goal forward scuffed wide.
Without star man Pedro Neto Wolves lacked a killer touch, similar to Tottenham – missing main schemer Maddison – who had created nothing since their early opener.
The hosts’ dominance had nullified Spurs but they were still behind and their desperation for a leveller began to leave spaces, with Johnson curling wide after a rare break.
Wolves looked to be running out of ideas with time ticking by, although Sasa Kalajdzic wastefully headed over, and Giovani Lo Celso almost snatched an undeserved second with two minutes left but Jose Sa turned his effort over.
Little suggested the drama to come but Wolves then turned the game on its head in stoppage time.
O’Neil’s side finally got the leveller they deserved when substitute Sarabia, on the pitch for just two minutes, collected Cunha’s clipped ball and smashed past Vicario.
Then, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Sarabia was sent scampering after a quick free-kick and he found Lemina to turn in and send Molineux wild.
Read More
Ben Stokes and Joe Root give England hope of ending World Cup on a high
From Covid to the Copper Box: Maia Lumsden relishes her ‘unbelievable’ return
On this day in 2015: Stuart Lancaster resigns as England head coach
Mauricio Pochettino: Easier for new players at Man City than ‘evolving’ Chelsea
Don’t worry about it – Ange Postecoglou brushes off series of Spurs setbacks
Harry Maguire ‘showing he can do the job’ – Erik ten Hag
