Southampton 1 Wolves 2 - Report
Jorgen Strand Larsen silenced the critics with a vital brace that earned Wolves a crucial three points at Southampton on their road to Premier League survival.
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The striker nodded home an opening goal, despite Wolves’ slow start to the game, to give them a half-time lead.
The Norwegian then swept home a second just two minutes into the second half, to put Wolves in control.
They created several more chances to score but spurned them all, before Paul Onuachu’s strike gave the hosts some hope.
It was an uneasy ending to the game, but Wolves hung on for three crucial points.
Analysis
Vitor Pereira named an unchanged starting XI after Marshall Munetsi was declared fit to play.
There were two changes on the bench however, with Dan Bentley and Carlos Forbs replacing Sam Johnstone and Pedro Lima.
As the game got under way, Wolves made a lethargic start and allowed the Premier League’s bottom club to dictate the game.
Yukinari Sugawara was having a lot of joy at right-wing-back, as Rayan Ait-Nouri was consistently caught out of position.
Joe Aribo then fired over when the ball fell to him on the edge of the box, in another warning sign to Pereira’s side.
Despite that slow start, it was Wolves that took the lead in the 19th minute. An excellent Jean-Ricner Bellegarde cross found Larsen free in the box and his superb header was guided into the bottom corner.
The striker looked relieved as he celebrated in front of the away end, bringing his goal drought to an end, which stood at seven Premier League games before kick-off.
Wolves missed some counter-attack opportunities after the opening goal but created few clear chances, as neither side grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
One good counter saw Nelson Semedo cross before Ait-Nouri lashed a shot straight at Aaron Ramsdale.
Wolves entered the half-time break fairly comfortable, winning 1-0.
As the teams came out for the second half, Onuachu was brought on for Mateus Fernandes, a change that was greeted by loud boos and chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ from the home crowd.
And it got worse for Saints two minutes into the half as Wolves doubled their lead. They won the ball back as Munetsi fed Bellegarde, who in turn found Larsen, who shaped onto his right foot and fired into the bottom corner. That prompted even louder boos around the ground.
Southampton came close when Sugawara was free inside the box and took aim, but Jose Sa tipped it over his bar.
From the resulting corner, Sa saved Onuachu’s header at the far post.
Wolves then broke forward from the second corner and Bellegarde did excellently to beat Kyle Walker-Peters to the ball and create a five-on-three scenario, but he delivered a terrible cross, to the fury of Pereira on the sidelines.
Wolves played themselves into trouble when Emmanuel Agbadou lost the ball and Saints advanced, but Toti Gomes made a strong initial tackle before Andre made a vital block to deny Tyler Dibling.
From the resulting corner, Dibling had a free header but nodded over the bar.
Wolves should have had a third when Toti did superbly to get into the box and cut back for Joao Gomes, but he fired wide.
Moments later Wolves broke in numbers again and substitute Goncalo Guedes had four options, but made a mess of it and the chance was gone.
Saints then charged up the other end and got a goal back. Dibling hit the post and Onuachu reacted quickest to find the bottom corner from close range.
The hosts were on top and pushing for an equaliser, as Wolves defended deep and began to use time wasting tactics in the latter stages of the game.
As six minutes of added time were announced it gave the home fans some hope, but the visitors were able to hang on to their slim lead and secure a vital victory.
Key Moments
GOAL 19 Larsen’s excellent header puts Wolves ahead
GOAL 47 Larsen sweeps home his and Wolves’ second
GOAL 75 Onuachu fires back for Saints
Teams
Wolves: Sa, Semedo (Djiga, 89), Doherty, Agbadou, Toti, Ait-Nouri (Bueno, 80), Andre, J.Gomes, Munetsi (Sarabia, 69), Bellegarde (Guedes, 69), Larsen (Doyle, 89).
Subs not used: Bentley, Forbs, R.Gomes, Hwang.
Southampton: Ramsdale, Sugawara (Archer, 69), Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bella-Kotchap, Manning, Ugochukwu (Downes, 83), Aribo (Stephens, 91), Fernandes (Onuachu, 45), Kamaldeen (Gronbaek, 83), Dibling.
Subs not used: McCarthy, Welington, Wood, Lallana.
