Nov 5th 2022 – Brighton & Hove Albion vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
A L B I O N R E P O R T – ( 10 ) 5 NOVEMBER 2022 –
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 2 ( Goncalo Guedes 1 – 12 minutes, Ruben Neves 1, penalty – 35 minutes )
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3 ( Adam Lallana 1 – 10 mins
Kaoru Mitoma 1 – 44 mins, Pascal Gross 1 – 83 mins ) –
PREMIER LEAGUE – at MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON.
The Seagulls were on their travels again, this time to the Midlands to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in the Premier, in a match broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Prior to the game Albion were in eighth position in the Premier with 18 points from 12 games whilst Wolves occupied 19th (second from bottom) spot in the table with 10 points from 13 games.
After their superb 4-1 win over Chelsea at the Amex on the 29 October, unsurprisingly Albion Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi named an unchanged starting line-up for the visit to Wolves.
Wolves parted company with Head Coach Bruno Lage a few weeks back and placed team matters in the hands of Interim Head Coach Steve Davis. However, prior to kick-off on the 5 November Wolves announced that former Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla Head Coach Julen Lopetegui (56) as their new Head Coach, with the Spaniard taking up his duties on Monday 14 November 2022.
For the visit of the Albion, Interim Head Coach made three changes to his starting line-up from the team which drew 1-1 at Brentford on the 29 October, with JoaoMoutinho, Goncalo Guedes and Hee-Chan Hwang replacing Adama Traore, Matheus Nunes (injured) and Diago Costa (suspended).
Last season’s meetings between the clubs saw Wolves win 1-0 at the Amex on the 15 December 2021, with Romain Saiss (45+1m) scoring the deciding goal.
In the reverse fixture at Molineux on the 30 April 2022, an excellent display by the Albion saw them run out 3-0 winners, with the goals coming from Alexis Mac Allister, penalty (42m), Leandro Trossard (70m) and Yves Bissouma (86m).
Usually a happy hunting ground, the Albion made a bright start at Molineux, having a penalty appeal for a push on Leandro Trossard by Wolves defender Max Kilman turned down early on but on 10 minutes the Seagulls took the lead when Kaoru Mitoma and Trossard combined on the left leaving Adam Lallana to finish with a well-placed shot. It was Lallana’s first goal in 44 games. 1-0.
Wolves equalised, against the run of play two minutes later as Goncalo Guedes took Boubacar Traore’s pass in his stride before placing a right-foot shot inside the post. 1-1.
Albion came close to regaining the lead minutes later when a sweeping move involving Alexis Mac Allister, Pervis Estupinan and Mitoma ended with Trossard lifting his shot over the Wolves bar.
The home side took the lead on 35 minutes with a disputed penalty when Lewis Dunk was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area and Ruben Neves calmly converted the penalty-kick. 1-2.
The Seagulls deservedly equalised a minute before the break as Solly March picked out Lallana whose pinpoint cross was headed home by Mitoma. It was the Japanese international’s first goal for the Albion. 2-2.
In time added on Mitoma was brought down by Nelson Semedo as he was through on goal following Lallana’s long pass, for which the Wolves defender received a straight red card, which meant Wolves would have to play the whole of the second-half with ten men. Half-time 2-2.
With a one-man advantage it was all Albion from the start of the second-half, which saw efforts by March, Dunk, Adam Webster and Mac Allister go close to putting the Seagulls ahead.
Substitute Adama Traore then tested Albion keeper Robert Sanchez with a long-range shot which was deflected for a corner. Just as Albion thought a winner would elude them the lively Mitoma and substitute Deniz Undav combined to enable the alert Pascal Gross to lash a shot into the Wolves net for a likely winning goal. 3-2.
Still the Seagulls sought a fourth goal and Wolves keeper Jose Sa made a smart save to deny Undav.
Final-score 3-2.
Albion had 19 attempts at goal, with 8 on target and won 9 corners, free-kicks conceded –
- Wolves had 8 attempts at goal, with 5 on target and won 4 corners, free-kicks conceded – 15.
VERDICT – Another excellent win for the Seagulls, which lifted them up to sixth in the Premier League table. A big plus for the Albion has been the form of Kaoru Mitoma, with the Japanese international scoring his first Albion goal in this match.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Robert Sanchez; Pascal Gross, Adam Webster, Lewis Dunk (Capt), Pervis Estupinan (Billy Gilmour 82); Moises Caicedo, Alexis MacAllister; Solly March, Adam Lallana (Danny Welbeck 65), Kaoru Mitoma (Joel Veltman 90); Leandro Trossard (Deniz Undav 82).
Subs not used: Jason Steele (G/K), Tariq Lamptey, Levi Colwill, Jeremy Sarmiento, Julio Enciso.
Wolves line-up (4-3-3):- Jose Sa; Nelson Semedo, Nathan Collins, Max Kilman, Hugo Bueno; Boubacar Traore (Connor Ronan 90), Ruben Neves (Capt), Joao Moutinho; Goncalo Guedes (Rayan Ait-Nouri 74), Hee-Chan Hwang (Adama Traore 68), Daniel Podence (Jonny Castro Otto 46). Subsnot used: Matija Sarkic (G/K), Yerson Mosquera, Joe Hodge, Nathan Fraser,Harvey Griffiths.
Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire). Assistant Referees: Adrian Holmes, Mark Scholes. Fourth Official: Sunny Sukhvir Gill. VAR Official: JohnBrooks. Assistant VAR Official: Darren Cann.
Red Card: Wolves: 1 – Nelson Semedo.
Yellow Cards: Wolves: 2 – Nathan Collins, Jonny Castro Otto.
Possession: Albion – 71%. Wolves – 29%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Lewis Dunk (Albion).
Attendance: 30732.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES:
9 NOVEMBER 2022 – ARSENAL – away – Carabao Cup Third Round- Won by Albion 1-3
13 NOVEMBER 2022 – ASTON VILLA – home – Premier League – kick-off 14.00. “Live” on Sky Sports.