Burnley 1 (Flemming 47) Wolves 1 (Armstrong 5 PEN)
Wolves and Burnley settled for a point as the two teams battled for 19th in the final game of the season, as the Old Gold’s eight-year Premier League chapter came to a close at Turf Moor.
The visitors made the best possible start in Lancashire when Adam Armstrong put Wolves in front from the penalty spot inside the opening five minutes of the contest.
Wolves had the better of the opportunities throughout the first-half, but could not add to their tally, and Burnley made them pay after the break, as Zian Flemming’s low drive from 20 yards out secured a point for the hosts which kept them in 19th and Wolves rooted to the foot of the Premier League table.
Making just one change from the side which started in the final Molineux outing of the season the previous weekend, Wolves made a bright start in the Turf Moor sunshine.
Straight from the kick-off Armstrong was played in over the top of the Burnley defence and although his cross was too strong from Hee Chan Hwang, the Korean was able to win a free-kick which was headed behind for a succession of corners.
From the second, Ladislav Krejci headed the ball back into the penalty area and it flicked off the hand of Burnley midfielder Florentino, and after VAR intervention, the visitors were awarded a penalty. Stepping up from the spot, Armstrong sent Max Weiss the wrong way to give the Old Gold the lead.
Burnley had a few opportunities to get themselves back into the match during the first-half, but it was the visitors who controlled much of the game until the break.
Mateus Mane came closest to adding a second after he picked up the ball in midfield and decided to run through the entire Burnley team. With no support on, he cut inside onto his left when he reached the box and curled a brilliant finish past Weiss, but it kept out by the post.
Two days after signing a new long-term deal with Wolves, Andre showed his strength as he made a big challenge to deny Burnley at one end before setting his side up at the other. A long ball from Angel Gomes set Mane away, and with Rodrigo Gomes free on the overlap and with three players in space over to the left, Mane decided to go alone, but this time his shot was diverted behind for a corner.
From another corner, Wolves came close as Yerson Mosquera’s header took a slight deflection which sent it over the crossbar, before Mane’s next cross was headed into the box by Krejci and, on the turn, David Moller Wolfe pulled a fine save from Weiss to keep the score at one-nil.
Jose Sa was tested twice in added time of the first-half, as Jaidon Anthony hit a sweet volley on the edge of the box, but it was straight at the Portuguese. Minutes later, his fellow countryman Florentino also had a chance from 20 yards out and his powerful shot was pushed away by a big Sa hand.
Half-time | Burnley 0-1 Wolves
Similar to Wolves in the first-half, Burnley came out fighting from the whistle after the break, and took the lead almost instantly. After Rodrigo Gomes failed to fully clear his lines, Flemming picked up the ball in space which had been vacated by Andre, to fire low and hard past Sa and into the bottom left corner, bringing his side level.
The Clarets were all over Rob Edwards’ side for much of the second period, with Sa having to be the hero for the visitors as the Portuguese made several key stops.
However, the keeper found himself beaten when Florentino’s floated ball didn’t get a touch by any other players and it eventually curled onto the post.
Sa had to be alert to Hannibal after the Burnley man was played in on goal, but the keeper was quick off his line and made himself big to keep the ball out. Moments later Sa was almost caught off his line from distance, but raced back to palm it away.
The Portuguese again had to be relied on to stop Hannibal after the forward’s shot squirmed away from Sa’s low hand, but the keeper was able to pounce on the ball at the second attempt as it trickled towards the goal line.
With 15 minutes remaining, a piece of Wolves history was made as 16-year-old substitute Jerome Abbey came onto the pitch to replace goalscorer Armstrong, to become the club's second youngest player, and youngest ever in the Premier League.
Chances came for both sides, with Sa again stopping from Florentino and Ashley Barnes from close range, while Mane thought he had scored a late winner when his piledriver was heading for the top corner before flying inches wide of the post.
However, with neither team able to find the net for a second time, the points were shared, meaning Wolves ended a miserable campaign in 20th and bottom of the Premier League table, with a season in the Championship to prepare for.
Full-time | Burnley 1-1 Wolves
Burnley | Weiss, Walker, Tuanzebe, Humphreys, Pires, Florentino, Ugochukwu (Ward-Prowse 75), Tchaouna (Edwards 75), Mejbri (Amdouni 67), Anthony (Barnes 85), Flemming (Bruun Larsen 85).
Unused subs | Dubravka, Roberts, Ekdal, Laurent.
Wolves | Sa, Mosquera, S Bueno, Krejci (Toti 66), Wolfe (H Bueno 74), R Gomes (Lima 82), Andre, A Gomes (Arokodare 66), Mane, Hwang, Armstrong (Abbey 74).
Unused subs | Bentley, Tchatchoua, Sutherland, Edozie.
