Raul deal for Wolves in top four pursuit
SHORTLY before the opening bell, Adama Traore sauntered out of the tunnel and under the setting sun. He was deep in prayer, his top half hidden by black and white camouflage. Before too long, the winger was in more luminous gold and moving at more familiar pace.
Seeing his square frame was no longer the problem. Stopping him? That’s another issue.
In a critical match which lacked chances and rhythm, Traore was a welcome dash of quality. And after an hour he made the difference again to give Wolves’ Champions League push even more life.
You know the story by now: on the right, he used his pace to find a yard of space. From there he dug out a devilish cross. Waiting to nod home was a grateful Raul Jimenez. They have now combined for 10 Premier League goals this season — more than any other pair.
This was also worryingly familiar for Bournemouth. Again they lacked a cutting edge, a shot on target beyond them here.
They remain in the bottom three — where will points come from?
‘It was a poor first half... but in the second half we managed to create a couple of chances. I think we deserved to win,’ Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo said.
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe said: ‘I’m frustrated because we gave everything. ‘It’s very tight, it’ll go possibly down to the wire. We have to realise, although we are in a difficult moment, nothing is lost. We still have a chance to define our destiny.’
At least Bournemouth began with more purpose before the tedium took over. For long periods, this was awful as the teams cancelled themselves out.
Traore versus Adam Smith seemed the obvious mismatch but the winger barely saw the ball early on. Eventually, he came looking for it and, 10 minutes before the break, he gave this encounter a shot in the arm.
Picking up possession inside his own half, Traore wriggled free, beating six tackles before David Brooks hacked him down. Ruben Neves spooned the free-kick well over, but the game had life at last.
Fouls began to mount and tempers flared. Most damagingly, Callum Wilson picked up his 10th booking of the season, ruling him out of Bournemouth’s next two games.
The breakthrough came on the hour. Traore whipped in a vicious ball towards the back post where his No 9 was waiting to score his 15th of the season.
‘We should have defended the cross better,’ rued Howe. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (3-4-3): Patricio 6; Boly 6.5, Coady 6.5, Saiss 6: Doherty 6, Moutinho 6.5 (Gibbs-White 90min), Neves 6, Jonny 6; TRAORE 7.5 (Dendoncker 73, 6) Jimenez 7 (Podence 90), Jota 6.5 (Neto 62, 6.5). Subs not used: Ruddy, Buur, Kilman, Bruno, Vinagre. Scorer: Jimenez 60. Booked: Saiss, Neves, Moutinho. Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 6.5. BOURNEMOUTH (4-3-3): Ramsdale 6; Stacey 6 (Kelly 82), S Cook 6, Ake 6, Smith 5; L Cook 5.5, Lerma 5.5 (Solanke 66, 6), Billing 5.5 (Gosling 50, 6); Brooks 5.5 (H Wilson 66, 6), C Wilson 5.5, Stanislas 5 (Danjuma 66, 6). Subs not used: Boruc, Rico, Mepham, Surman. Booked: Brooks, C Wilson, S Cook. Manager: Eddie Howe 5.5. Referee: Michael Oliver 6.