A youthful Wolves under-21s side pushed Spanish giants Valencia all the way in the Premier League International Cup on Wednesday evening, but were narrowly beaten by Jose David Menargues’s expertly-taken header.
At a chilly New Bucks Head, Wolves held their own against European opposition, and would have been in a different game had Jack Hodnett’s early chance found the back of the net, but on a night of few openings, Valencia took the telling one at the end of the first-half.
A plethora of James Collins’ side are currently away in Spain training with Julen Lopetegui’s first-team, but those who remained started well at a chilly New Bucks Head, with a well-worked corner seeing Aaron Keto-Diyawa find Hodnett to sweep an effort just over the crossbar early on.
As for the Spaniards, they settled into proceedings and will have been disappointed not to take the lead just after the half-hour mark, when a ball over the top created an opportunity, but it was kept out by Louie Moulden, returning from his Solihull Moors loan for the night, before Marvin Kaleta blocked the rebound.
However, from the corner which followed, they showed their clinical side. Tiago Hora’s delivery was flicked on impressively flicked on by Menargues into the far corner, with Rodrigo Rodrigues on hand to tap in if required, but the goal was given to the defender.
Half-time | Wolves 0 Valencia 1
As temperatures plummeted further in Shropshire, neither side could muster many opportunities in front of goal after the break, with Wolves keeping the ball, but struggling to call Valencia stopper Emilio Bernard into action.
Lee Harkin proved a thorn in Valencia’s side down the left, but from his flurries forward, Wolves couldn’t fashion the desired opening, while Moulden remained quiet at the other end for the old gold.
A welcome sight for Collins did arrive on 59 minutes, as Owen Hesketh took to the pitch for the first time since suffering an injury against Chelsea in pre-season out in Salt Lake City, and while he continued his recovery well, he couldn’t celebrate with a victory on his return, as Wolves fell to a slender loss.
Full-time | Wolves 0-1 Valencia
COMING UP
Attention swings back to the Premier League Cup on Saturday, when Wolves look to maintain their perfect record in the competition. Reading, Sunderland and most recently Cardiff City have all been beaten by the old gold and the Welshmen make the return trip to the West Midlands at the weekend, looking to avenge their defeat last Saturday.
NEXT FIVE
- 10/12 Cardiff City (H) PLC
- 14/12 Wolfsburg (H) PLIC
- 19/12 Reading (A) PLC
- 06/01 Blackburn (H)
- 13/01 Chelsea (A)
TEAMS
Wolves | Moulden, Kaleta (Voice), Mabete, Kandola, Keto-Diyawa, Scicluna, Ojinnaka (Harper 70), Hodnett, Reynolds (Hesketh 59), Harkin, He (McLeod 79).
Subs | Amos.
Valencia | Bernard, Menargues, Iranzo, Munoz, Hora, Santiago, Aleman, Lopez, Domingeuz, Rodrigues, Perez.
Subs | Vkslev, Tarrega, Navarro, Gozalbez, Santaus, Ganzslez, Gasiorowski.
