[ad_1]
Adama Traore struck a stoppage-time winner for Wolves as Fulham’s hopes of remaining in the Premier League suffered another significant blow.
Traore settled the game with a fierce angled drive with little time left.
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 league goal of the season and only his second in all competitions.
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.
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Areola
- 34AinaSubstituted forCavaleiroat 84′minutes
- 5Andersen
- 30Kongolo
- 2Tete
- 21ReedSubstituted forMajaat 74′minutes
- 18Lemina
- 33Robinson
- 15Loftus-CheekSubstituted forZambo Anguissaat 63′minutes
- 14De Cordova-Reid
- 9Mitrovic
Substitutes
- 3Hector
- 13Ream
- 16Tosin
- 17Cavaleiro
- 23Bryan
- 25Onomah
- 27Maja
- 29Zambo Anguissa
- 31Fabri
Wolves
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 11Rui PatrÃÂcio
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 16Coady
- 27Saïss
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 32Dendoncker
- 8Neves
- 7NetoSubstituted forJoão Moutinhoat 32′minutes
- 10PodenceSubstituted forGibbs-Whiteat 74′minutes
- 37Traoré
- 12Da SilvaSubstituted forFábio Silvaat 78′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Hoever
- 17Fábio Silva
- 18Gibbs-White
- 20Vitinha
- 21Ruddy
- 28João Moutinho
- 42Richards
- 49Kilman
- 54Otasowie
Live Text
-
Match ends, Fulham 0, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1.
-
Second Half ends, Fulham 0, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1.
-
Attempt saved. Josh Maja (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ivan Cavaleiro.
-
Goal! Fulham 0, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1. Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Fábio Silva.
-
Foul by Fábio Silva (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
-
Kenny Tete (Fulham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
-
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Mario Lemina.
-
Attempt saved. Romain Saïss (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by João Moutinho with a cross.
-
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Antonee Robinson.
-
Attempt saved. João Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Rayan Aït-Nouri with a cross.
-
Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
-
Foul by Kenny Tete (Fulham).
-
Attempt missed. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.
-
Substitution, Fulham. Ivan Cavaleiro replaces Ola Aina.
-
Foul by Fábio Silva (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
-
Kenny Tete (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
-
Attempt saved. Antonee Robinson (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
-
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Rúben Neves.
-
Attempt blocked. Josh Maja (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa with a cross.
-
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Fábio Silva replaces Willian José.
[ad_2]
Source link