Wolves 0 AFC Bournemouth 2 (Kroupi Jr 33, Scott 90+1)
Wolves suffered a harsh defeat to AFC Bournemouth after a frustrating afternoon of missed chances at Molineux.
Two Bournemouth goals either side of half-time proved the difference, with Eli Junior Kroupi’s first-half strike seeing the Cherries on their way before Alex Scott secured all three points in the dying minutes.
Despite Bournemouth returning to Dorset with maximum points, Wolves created plenty of opportunities to force their way back into the contest, but were ultimately left to rue their missed chances.
Both sides started brightly, enjoying encouraging spells of possession, but Wolves went one further and had the ball in the back of the net within eight minutes.
Hee-Chan Hwang did excellent to find the run of Rodrigo Gomes down the right flank - though the wing-back was later deemed offside - before he found Mateus Mane at the back post, who headed in, only for the goal to be ruled out.
The visitors looked to respond instantly to that early warning from the hosts, but both Kroupi Jr. and Amine Adli’s efforts from range left Jose Sa untested.
Mateus Mane was a familiar figure at the centre of proceedings inside the opening 25 minutes and went closest to breaking the deadlock. A neat attacking move from Tolu Arokodare, Joao Gomes and Mane allowed the latter to strike at goal, but his effort was comfortable enough for Djorge Petrovic to gather.
Despite a positive first half-hour from Wolves, the Cherries snatched the lead in the 33rd minute. Scott and Adli combined to find Kroupi Jr. on the edge of the penalty area, and he rifled a volley over Sa and off the underside of the crossbar.
Bournemouth could have doubled their advantage before half-time, but smart goalkeeping from Sa prevented a two-goal deficit. Adli was played through one-on-one, and the Portuguese shot-stopper did well to narrow the angle before parrying the effort out for a corner.
Half-Time | Wolves 0-1 Bournemouth
Bournemouth had the better of the restart and wasted no time in testing Sa. Alex Jimenez drove down the right flank and into the penalty area, before striking fiercely at goal, but Sa was equal to the effort.
Momentum then tilted in Wolves’ favour approaching the hour mark, with Molineux growing louder in reflection to the proceedings. Arokodare and Hwang both came close to an equaliser, but neither effort found its way past Petrovic’s grasp.
The home side continued to grow into the second half and created several opportunities. Arokodare’s chance on the 65th minute mark was Wolves’ best of the game, but after latching onto Hugo Bueno’s low delivery, the Nigerian forward failed to steer his close-range effort beyond Petrovic.
Moments later, Joao Gomes saw a curling effort well saved, before Jorgen Strand Larsen picked up the rebound yards out. However, the substitute was unable to sort out his feet quick enough and dragged his effort wide.
By the 80th minute, Wolves’ equaliser felt increasingly elusive as chances continued to be spurned. Arokodare did well to create space for a close-range effort, but blazed over, before Joao Gomes struck the post with a header after meeting Hugo Bueno’s corner.
While the home side pushed for a leveller, Bournemouth capitalised on the lack of bodies back in defence and added a second in stoppage time. Rayan slid a ball across goal and Scott made no mistake from close range.
Full-Time | Wolves 0-2 Bournemouth
Wolves | Sa, R Gomes (Bellegarde 70), Mosquera, S Bueno (Lima 89), Agbadou, H Bueno (Wolfe 89), J Gomes, Andre (Arias 80), Mane, Hwang (Strand Larsen 70), Arokodare.
Unused subs | Johnstone, Doherty, Tchatchoua, Abbey.
Bournemouth | Petrovic, Smith (Diakite 90+4), Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Cook, Scott, Jimenez (Unal 85), Kroupi Jr (Rayan 68), Adli (Christie 68), Evanilson (Toth 85).
Unused subs | Mandas, Milosavljevic, Rees-Dottin, Gonzalez.
Report by Callum Greybanks
