Wolves and Newcastle play out goalless draw
Wolves secured a hard-fought point against Newcastle United at Molineux this afternoon, with the Premier League encounter finishing goalless, reports BritPanorama.
The result sees the bottom-of-the-table hosts extend their recent unbeaten run; however, a single point does little to improve their slim survival prospects.
For Eddie Howe’s visitors, the stalemate represents a frustrating afternoon, having won the corresponding fixture at St James’ Park back in September when Nick Woltemade netted the decisive goal.
Neither side will take much satisfaction from the outcome, with both teams forced to settle for a share of the spoils following a match that lacked quality in the final third.
The defining moment of the match arrived in the 84th minute when Wolves goalkeeper Sa produced a stunning double stop to preserve the deadlock. The Portuguese shot-stopper first parried an effort from Guimaraes, only for the ball to fall directly into Joelinton’s path. Sa then demonstrated excellent reflexes to block the Brazilian’s follow-up attempt from close range. Remarkably, this double save represented Newcastle’s first shots on target of the entire afternoon, coming just five minutes before the end of normal time.
Kieran Trippier also went close with a free-kick that struck the side netting, evoking memories of his memorable strike against Croatia at the 2018 World Cup. Joelinton endured a particularly wasteful afternoon in front of goal, failing to convert any of his three headed opportunities.
The Brazilian midfielder should have done better with a chance from inside the six-yard box in the 86th minute, while earlier he failed to make proper contact when picked out by Guimaraes’s delivery to the back post. In the dying seconds, Bruno Guimaraes had the opportunity to snatch all three points for the Magpies but sliced his effort wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Newcastle enjoyed the lion’s share of possession throughout, controlling 67 per cent of the ball, yet struggled to create clear-cut openings against a resolute Wolves defence. The Magpies’ approach play lacked urgency and a cutting edge, with their wide players failing to provide sufficient service to the forwards.
Wolves, meanwhile, grew in confidence as the match progressed. Centre-back Yerson Mosquera impressed with several lung-busting runs from deep positions, covering nearly 70 yards with the ball at one point and almost catching Nick Pope off guard. Rob Edwards will have been the more satisfied manager at the interval, with his side frustrating their more fancied opponents.
As the teams parted ways at Molineux, the draw echoed the ongoing frustration of both sides, highlighting the often fine margins in football while reminding all of us that in this game, even the slightest error can echo long after the final whistle has blown.
