English Premier League

Wolves 1 – 0 Fulham

Wolves 1 – 0 Fulham. Adama Traore’s strike sinks Fulham. Traore settled the game with a fierce angled drive with little time left. Adama Traore struck a stoppage-time winner for Wolves as Fulham’s hopes of remaining in the Premier League suffered another significant blow.

Earlier, Wolves had been denied a goal when the video assistant referee ruled that Daniel Podence’s arm was fractionally offside before he crossed for Willian Jose to head in.

Fulham stay 18th, a place and three points behind Newcastle.

However, Scott Parker’s side have also now played two games more than their nearest relegation rival and with just six games left to play have little room for further error.

The players wore black armbands and there was a minute’s silence before the game for Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died at the age of 99 on Friday. Traore ensures VAR not the main focus
With so few opportunities in a poor contest, the biggest talking point of the match threatened to be the decision to disallow Jose’s first-half header.

In collecting the ball prior to his delivery from the right, Podence’s upper arm was a fraction ahead of the toe of the final defender, prompting VAR to rule it out.

By the letter of the current law the decision was the correct one, but it once again highlights the use of the technology and whether it is being used for the good of the game or not.

Traore was able to provide the one moment of attacking quality to ensure the game had a winner, smashing home his first goal in 49 Premier League matches.

He had contributed little for the previous 92 minutes but when released down the right and up against some tired defensive legs, he seized his chance, firing a drive past Alphonse Areola.

It takes Wolves to 38 points, 12 clear of Fulham and surely now safe from getting dragged into the relegation fight.

It was not without cost, though, with Pedro Neto leaving the field injured in the first half.

Fulham must now hope that Newcastle’s poor form continues, with Steve Bruce’s side at Burnley on Sunday in one of the two games they have in hand.

Wolves snatch first Premier League away win against Fulham

  • In the 12th Premier League meeting between Fulham and Wolves, this was the first away victory, and the first away top-flight victory in this fixture since August 1967.
  • Wolves registered only their second away Premier League win in their past 11 matches (D4 L5), also beating Southampton in February.
  • With his 28th shot in the Premier League this season, Wolves winger Adama Traore netted his first goal of the season.
  • Fulham have lost four consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since losing their first four games of this season.
  • This was the second 90th-minute winning goal scored against Fulham this season, with Tomas Soucek scoring one for West Ham in November.

What’s next?

Fulham face a trip to Arsenal for a 13:30 BST kick-off on Sunday, 18 April. Wolves are in action the day before, hosting Sheffield United at 15:00.

Source – BBC News