Wolverhampton Wanderers secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Molineux, lifting themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone. The match saw Wolves demonstrate tactical prowess under the guidance of head coach Vitor Pereira, who praised his team's performance as "very good" tactically. Goals from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Matheus Cunha propelled Wolves to this significant win.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde opened the scoring for Wolves early in the match, delivering a powerful finish beyond Villa's goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez. Wolves' aggressive start set the tone, and despite missing a one-on-one chance, Matheus Cunha doubled their lead in the second half. Initially, Cunha's goal was adjudged offside due to Morgan Rogers impeding Nelson Semedo, but it ultimately stood.
Aston Villa faced challenges throughout the game, notably with Ollie Watkins' injury at half-time, which forced manager Unai Emery to make a quadruple change. Additionally, Jhon Duran's departure for Saudi Arabia left Emery with limited options to alter the game's course.
Wolves' tactical approach was evident from the outset, with Bellegarde's early goal highlighting their determination. Despite missed opportunities from Goncalo Guedes, who had three attempts at the Villa goal, Wolves maintained control. Villa seemed to have identified Wolves' midfield as a potential weakness, yet Bellegarde delivered a match-winning performance.
Nelson Semedo, Wolves' captain, was involved in the offside decision for Cunha's goal. However, it was uncertain whether he could have prevented it. Commentator Jamie Redknapp remarked on the situation:
"Let's be honest. Wolves have had a lot of bad decisions against them, and this is a lucky one for them." – Jamie Redknapp
"It's not enough. Not for me. As a defender, Semedo is looking at the wall. If Rogers doesn't make that run, McGinn is still in anyway. Rogers doesn't need to do anything because Semedo is not alive." – Jamie Redknapp
Aston Villa did find the net through Donyell Malen in the second half, but his goal was disallowed, and it was too little, too late for the team. Unai Emery confirmed Watkins' groin problem forced him into making extensive changes at half-time:
"Yes, I changed him because he was feeling a little bit of pain in his muscle. Hopefully, tomorrow, with testing, it is not important." – Unai Emery
Emery expressed disappointment in Villa's misfortune and admitted they lacked the necessary edge to secure a win:
"Villa are really unlucky," according to Unai Emery, who felt they did not do enough to get the win.
For Wolves, this victory places them two points clear of the drop zone. Vitor Pereira expressed confidence in his team's future performance:
"When we put Cunha as a striker man to man in the last line, we know he can receive a ball, create goals against one or two players. He can create a goal from nothing. It means he is a special player. For us, he's a player that gives us a lot of things." – Vitor Pereira
"It will be a long way, a tough way, but with this tactical quality and spirit. I am sure that we will be in the Premier League next season." – Vitor Pereira
Wolves' head coach emphasized the importance of maintaining tactical quality and spirit as they aim to secure their place in the Premier League next season.
Leave a Reply