First-half goals not enough as Wolves claim win

Two second half goals from the visitors wiped out our half-time advantage on Sunday afternoon as we slipped to a 3-2 defeat to Wolves at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

We took the lead in the game in the 13th minute with Steven Bergwijn’s second goal for us, only for Wolves to hit back just before the half-hour mark when Matt Doherty converted from close range.

On the stroke of half-time we restored our advantage thanks to a wonderful left-footed curler from Serge Aurier after a well-worked move, but the visitors levelled again when Diogo Jota poked home Doherty’s cross on 57 minutes. Then, with 17 minutes remaining, Jota set up Raul Jimenez to curl home from almost the same spot Aurier did in the first period and put the visitors in front for the first time in the contest. We applied some late pressure on the Wolves goal but couldn’t force Rui Patricio into a save of note as we fell to defeat.

Notable team news saw Paulo Gazzaniga replace Hugo Lloris, who missed out with a groin injury, Japhet Tanganga and Eric Dier started in a defensive back three with Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld on the bench, while Harry Winks started as captain for the first time in his Spurs career.

With the sun shining on the stadium, we started on the front foot and went ahead on 13 minutes following an excellent flowing move. It started with Winks threading a pass in to Bergwijn down the centre of the pitch, he laid off to Giovani Lo Celso who in turn found Aurier down the right. His low cross was prodded goalwards by Dele Alli, Patricio saved but the rebound fell perfectly for Bergwijn to tap into a vacant net.

We were looking bright in our play at that stage, attacking with a degree of promise and pushing Wolves back although we weren’t able to carve out that second opportunity. The visitors looked for a swift response to their setback, Jota firing high and wide on 18 minutes but they did reply nine minutes later when Ruben Vinagre burst down their left, his cross was missed by Dier and Tanganga’s attempted clearance was pounced on by Doherty who slammed past Gazzaniga from six yards out. That certainly took the wind out of our sails and the game became quite scrappy for a spell, neither side really able to take control and goalscoring chances were at a premium. There was one for us late in the half following a scramble which saw Ben Davies’ shot blocked, Lo Celso clipped over the rebound and Dele attempted an acrobatic effort over his head which was caught easily by Patricio in the Wolves goal.

But just as we approached the first minute of stoppage time, we regained the lead. The ball flowed through Davies, Bergwijn and Dele before it reached Aurier just inside the area, who this time cut inside onto his unfavoured left foot and curled an exquisite shot past Patricio and into the far corner.

Wolves had the first chance of the second period when Jota flashed his header from Joao Moutinho’s free-kick just over the crossbar, while we responded in the 55th minute with Davies delivering a cross which found Dele unmarked but his glancing header just missed the far post. It proved a costly miss as just two minutes later Wolves were level. Adama Traore produced one of his trademark bursts, straight through the heart of midfield before finding Jimenez who moved the ball on to Doherty and his low cross was tapped in at the far post by Jota.

And they took the lead for the first time in the game with 17 minutes remaining after great work from Jota down the left, picking the ball up in his own half and advancing 40 yards upfield before moving inside and laying the ball to Jimenez in the right channel. The Wolves striker then cut inside Tanganga and curled left-footed past Gazzaniga.

We made changes late in the game in search of an equaliser, Tanguy Ndombele, Gedson and youngster Troy Parrott replacing Tanganga, Aurier and Davies respectively and pushed the visitors back for spells, but again that clear-cut chance just wouldn’t materialise. There were late shouts for hand-ball when Conor Coady blocked Lucas’ shot but nothing was given and the last hope went when Winks was played into a good shooting position by Lo Celso, but Doherty repelled his effort with a fine block.

Key moment

The winning goal has to be the pivotal moment on this occasion. Had Dele’s header gone in 10 minutes into the second half, we might have held out with a 3-1 lead but Wolves levelled soon after that moment and then hit what proved to be the decisive goal on 73 minutes, Jimenez with the match-winner.

Jose's view

Jose Mourinho said: "I think it was a very good game with two teams not happy with a draw, two teams trying to win, two teams with a different style. They are what we all know they are, incredibly fast and strong in counter-attack. We are a different team and without the strikers, we try different solutions. It worked in the sense that we managed to score goals, we managed to have some opportunities, to arrive in dangerous positions. I think the result is totally unfair to us, but that’s what it is."

Reaction on Spurs TV

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Bergwijn 13, Aurier 45; Wolves – Doherty 27, Jota 57, Jimenez 73.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Lo Celso, Winks, Davies; Wolves – Boly, Dendoncker.

Referee: Stuart Attwell.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Sunny intervals, moderate breeze, 10 degrees.

Attendance: 58,064.