Sheff United 2 (Archer 72, Norwood pen 90+10) Wolves 1 (Bellegarde 89)
Wolves’ unbeaten run came to a dramatic end at Bramall Lane, as Oliver Norwood’s penalty ten minutes into second half stoppage time earned Sheffield United victory at a sodden Bramall Lane.
Wolves were the better side in the opening period, but didn’t show the quality to take control of the contest, and they were punished after the break when Cameron Archer fired home off the underside of the crossbar to put the hosts ahead.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s first goal for the club appeared to have earned Wolves a point, but Fabio Silva was adjudged to have fouled Sam Baldock right at the death, and after a VAR check again went against the Old Gold, Norwood rifled into the top corner to win it for the Blades.
Wolves were the dominant side in the opening period, but decision making, poor final passes and a dose of bad luck ensured they’d go in level at the break. Despite the sodden conditions, Wolves enjoyed much of the ball, particularly down their right, and the first opening through that avenue saw Nelson Semedo slice over, having been set up by Hee Chan Hwang.
The South Korean and Matheus Cunha were fluid in their movement, in the absence of Pedro Neto, and he fed the Brazilian on 25 minutes, leading to Wes Foderingham tipping over the Brazilian’s drive. The goalkeeper was then relieved to see former Blade Tommy Doyle blaze a free-kick over the bar.
The closest Wolves came in the first 45 had an element of fortune, then misfortune. Cunha expertly found Hwang who, like against Newcastle United, chopped inside, but sliced his effort badly, only for the loose ball to fall to Rayan Ait-Nouri, who couldn’t react in time, as his loose leg prodded the ball agonisingly wide.
The final 15 minutes of the half were all Wolves, but the final pass was missing. Ait-Nouri couldn’t slip in Doyle on the overlap, while Cunha sent Nelson Semedo into a great position, but he opted to cut back rather than go for goal, and the chance was gone.
Half-time | Sheff United 0-0 Wolves
Wolves were made to pay for not taking control in the first half, as the Blades came out for the second period with renewed spirit. Archer curled on to the roof of the net one minute into the second period and both James McAtee and Gustavo Hamer missed the target for the improved hosts.
They were warning signs and when Toti, Wolves’ last man, fired his clearance off McAtee’s legs, Archer was away, and although Boubacar Traore appeared to get back in position, the striker fired in off the understand of the bar, past Jose Sa.
From that point, the hosts dropped, and Wolves grabbed their equaliser. Playing for the first time since his red card at Luton Town, Bellegarde collected the loose ball inside the Blades box and curled an effort, which deflected off Baldock, out of the reach of Foderingham for 1-1.
That appeared to be that, until the final late twist. Silva failed to clear his lines, which invited Baldock in and the striker was penalised for catching the defender. VAR replays suggested the contact was minimal and Baldock was already going down, so an overturn looked the likely outcome, but like so often before, the decision went against Wolves. Norwood stepped up and fired home to earn the Blades victory.
Full-time | Sheff United 2-1 Wolves
Sheff United | Foderingham, Baldock, Trusty, Robinson, Bogle, Thomas, Norwood, Souza, Hamer (Osborn 90), Archer, Brewster (McAtee 45).
Unused subs | Amissah, Fleck, Traore, Slimane, Larouci, Osula, Brooks.
Wolves | Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Toti (Silva 81), Ait-Nouri, Lemina, Doyle (Traore 70), Hwang, Cunha, Kalajdzic (Bellegarde 61).
Unused subs | Bentley, Doherty, Jonny, S Bueno, Gomes, Fraser.
