Tears flow at Fulham after Adama Traore pounces late for Wolves

Mario Lemina is consoled by Fulham teammates Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ola Aina - GETTY IMAGES
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  • Contentious VAR call chalks off first-half Wolves goal

  • Traore scores first goal for more than a year in 93rd minute

  • Fulham spurn another chance to climb out of bottom three

As Adama Traore smashed home a late winner that only he could score, Scott Parker simply bowed his head, closed his eyes and winced. You could see it on the Fulham manager’s face that he knew what a blow this was for his side, what a punch in the gut it was for a team whose hopes of Premier League survival are becoming increasingly slim.

You could see it on the faces of the Fulham players, too. Mario Lemina was holding back the tears as he left the pitch at the final whistle, only a few seconds after Traore had unleashed that missile into the back of the home side’s net.

“It is a tough one to take,” Parker said. “You see that at the end of the game, and you see how desperate this team is to be successful. We are deflated, we are hurt. But we will come back fighting.”

They will battle on, as Parker would not allow it any other way. But there is no hiding from the fact that momentum has been completely lost. This was Fulham’s fourth consecutive defeat since beating Liverpool at Anfield, and the gap to 17th-placed Newcastle stands at three points, with Steve Bruce’s having two games in hand. The league table is worrying, then, and so is Fulham’s inability to create chances.

Adama Traore rifles in the late winner -  Glyn Kirk - Pool/Getty Images
Adama Traore rifles in the late winner - Glyn Kirk - Pool/Getty Images

They controlled much of the game here, dominating for large spells of the second half, but a goal never seemed likely. In truth, it did not seem likely for Wolves, either. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were lacking in ideas and had struggled to break down Fulham until Traore slammed his foot on the accelerator and hit the ball with such venom that Alphonse Areola, the home goalkeeper, would hardly have seen it before it was past him.

Traore is the Premier League’s most powerful athlete, a man who quite literally oils his biceps before matches, and this was the ultimate demonstration of his physical strength as he finally scored his first goal of the season. He might as well have oiled the ball, too, such was the speed with which his shot sliced through the air. “I believe Adama is unique in football,” said Nuno. “He can produce special moments.”

For Wolves, the victory will feel deserved even if their performance was lacklustre. They had another goal in the first half, when Willian Jose headed in shortly before the break, but were denied by one of the most contentious Var calls we have seen this season. Fulham have had to cope with more than their fair share of unfortunate refereeing decisions, so they might feel as if they were due a favourable ruling here. Not even the most diehard of their supporters would have felt entirely comfortable with the nature of this one, though. Truly, it was as “level” as “level” can possibly be when Daniel Podence darted down the right-wing and crossed for the striker. But out came the lines on the screen, moved inch by careful inch before it was decided in Stockley Park that Podence’s arm had strayed offside.

“This is not the spirit of the game,” Nuno said. It had been a fine header by Willian Jose and there was a sense of disbelief (and no little anger) among the visitors when it was disallowed. It was a half of few chances, until the non-goal, yet the best opportunities were still created by Fulham. Both came down the left side, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Aleksandar Mitrovic heading wide from Antonee Robinson’s crosses.

Buoyed by their escape, Fulham were the dominant team of the second half but they struggled to create clear opportunities, instead mustering only half-chances. Still, the game felt like Fulham’s to win. That was until Traore stepped up and sped up, crashing in his winner after a counter-attack had ripped apart the home side’s tiring defence. A brutal goal, both in terms of its execution and also what it meant for Fulham’s season.


08:55 PM

Full time

Four defeats in a row for Fulham and they remain three points behind Newcastle, having played two games more.

Wolves had a goal chalked off by a hair's breadth and then scored with virtually the last kick of the game and Traore breaks his goal drought after 16 months. Terrible game in many respects but Wolves won't care.


08:53 PM

90+3 min FUL 0 WOL 1

He absolutely spanked in a near-post riser from an angle of about 50 degrees from the right post. Great ball up to him from Fabio Silva after the referee played advantage following a foul on Gibbs-White. Areola beaten at the near post.


08:52 PM

GOOOOOAL!!

Fulham 0 Wolves 1 (Traore)


08:51 PM

90+1 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Cavaleiro drives his cross straight at the keeper. Mitrovic give shim an earful.


08:50 PM

90 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Kongolo defends Gibbs-White's cross from the right, Fulham break and Fabio Silva knocks Tet over. There'll be three minutes of injury time to begin with Cavaleiro's free-kick out by the whitewash on the right, 25 yards out.


08:48 PM

89 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Joao Moutinho floats a cross in from the right. Saiss would need to be Tommy Lawton to impart enough power on it to beat the keeper and can't. Areola catches it easily.


08:46 PM

87 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Joao Moutinho wins the header in the box from the free-kick but sends it too close to Areola who dives to his right to save.


08:46 PM

85 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Wolves free-kick on the left 25 yards out - seems a nit harsh after Tete got the ball it seemed when block-tackling Fabio Silva.


08:44 PM

83 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Cavaleiro replaces Aina and he, like Anguissa and Maja, brings a note on with him to hand to Andersen.

Mitrovic shanks a half-volley so badly that it carroms out towards the corner flag.


08:42 PM

81 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Good cross from the left from Anguissa. Maja goes up with Ruben Neves who beats him to it and heads it behind for a corner which Wolves defend to the edge of their box. Mitrovic throws himself on to the grass to earn a free-kick but the referee ignores him and Fulham keep probing until Robinson lets fly with a half-volley from 20 yards which was on target and well-struck. Rui Patricio dives to his left to save.


08:39 PM

79 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Fabio Silva, who scored against West Ham in their last game, replaces Willian Jose, who deserved to score in this match.


08:38 PM

78 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Wolves free-kick from the right. Too far out and hence floaty. Dendoncker meets it bit can only steer it on to the roof of the net.


08:34 PM

76 min FUL 0 WOL 0

De Cordova-Reid slips as he hits a right-foot shot from 22 yards and as his standing leg gave way he sliced it wide.


08:33 PM

75 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Josh Maja comes on for Fulham, replacing Reed.


08:31 PM

73 min FUL 0 WOL 0

The corner from the left is headed out to the right and the second ball back in ends up with Reed 18 yards out to the left. He hits it with his right, it was on target but tame and clips the outside of the near post.


08:29 PM

71 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Anguissa adds a bit of oomph by picking up the ball 35 yards out, driving towards the box and thrashing a left-foot cross that Saiss slides in to block and send behind for a corner.


08:28 PM

69 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Wolves attacking free-kick in the D after Kongolo clatters into Traore.

Saiss takes and whips it with his left aiming for the top left corner but can't get it to bend back in.


08:27 PM

67 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Lemina laces a pass up the inside-left and Mitrovic doesn't have the speed to burst across Coady to reach it. Coady uses his strength to counter Mitrovic's. There's no point picking Mitrovic against a Premier League defence and not using him to get on the end of crosses rather than threaded passes.


08:23 PM

65 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Reed goes for an inswinging, right-foot cross from the left and arcs it straight into the keeper's hands.


08:22 PM

63 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Fulham substitution: Anguissa replaces Loftus-Cheek.


08:21 PM

62 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Fulham free-kick in the centre-circle. Reed hangs it up to the left of the box where, given the distance it had travelled, it had lost its pace when Mitrovic headed it straight down Rui Patricio's throat.


08:19 PM

60 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Wolves head the cross from the free-kick clear and Fulham usher that ball all the way back to Areola under Wolves's press.


08:18 PM

58 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Mitrovic pulls down a pass from Lemina but as it bounced up for him to volley, Saiss hooke dit away. Back comes De Cordova-Reid who is brought down on the left.


08:17 PM

56 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Ruben Neves drives a 40-yard diagonal that allows Traore to run down the inside right and would have been in behind the defence, one-on-one with Areola but the pass had too much on it and he couldn't reach it with his foot balletically raised.


08:15 PM

54 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Excellent sliding tackle by Kongolo on Traore who had turned in the centre-circle and began blazing a trail towards the Fulham penalty box.


08:13 PM

52 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Glenn Hoddle advocates for feet being the only determinant of offside and I have long concurred with his view. Always a first time for everything.

Neves and Kongolo collide and the referee says play on, even though Neves is winded and shouting.


08:10 PM

50 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Wolves have come out with more urgency and purpose this half and are hogging possession.


08:09 PM

48 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Podence whips over another cross, this one headed clear by Andersen. The ball comes back out to the right and Robinson catches him in the mush as they go up for a header. The referee, Jon Moss, doesn't judge it a foul.


08:07 PM

46 min FUL 0 WOL 0

We return to the fray, hoping for an injection of excitement and an amputation of absurd VAR calls. Shoulder offside?

Mitrovic fouls his marker in the box when trying to reach cross.


07:58 PM

Here it is


07:52 PM

Half-time

Willian Jose thought he had scored his first Wolves goal but like Luke Ayling for Leeds here three weeks ago, it's ruled out by a hair's breadth. It came from a Coady diagonal, Semedo touched it down the line for Podence, who was judged offside in Stockley Park. He stood up a cross, Willian J peeled off Aina and bulleted a header past Areola from the centre of goal.

His misery continues. The referee is surrounded after blowing his whistle for half-time seconds later. Drab game so far. Something's got to give, something's got to give, something's got to give


07:48 PM

No goal

Fulham 0 Wolves 0


07:48 PM

Hang on VAR check

It's tight ...


07:47 PM

GOAL!!

Fulham 0 Wolves 1 (Willian Jose)


07:45 PM

43 min FUL 0 WOL 0

If you support neither team it's one of those games were it taking place at the bottom of your garden, you would draw the curtains.

Robinson canters down the left and stands up a cross towards the penalty spot. Mitrovic pops up, like a slice from a malevolent toaster, and gets his head to it but Saiss was touch tight which meant he could only reach it with the top quarter of his forehead and he directed it wide.


07:41 PM

40 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Fulham corner on the right headed clear by Saiss and Fulham concede a free-kick as they try to work it back into the box.


07:40 PM

38 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Mitrovic, before the Traore shot, was in a good position 20 yards out when Loftus-Cheek, who had sprinted up the touchline dribbling the ball, knocked it in from the right. His control, though, was woeful and Saiss cleared when it bobbled towards him.


07:38 PM

36 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Traore takes a pass 40 yards from goal and bombs towards the box down the inside-left, outpacing, natch, Andersen but as soon as he spies the 18-yard line he lashes a left-foot shot miles wide of the right post. What a drag.


07:34 PM

33 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Pedro Neto, who was hurt in a challenge earlier from Robinson which the referee didn't view as a foul, is having to go off. First substitution: Moutinho replaces Neto.

Wolves have switched to 3-5-2 with Dendoncker as the right centre-back and Traore as a striker.


07:32 PM

31 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Chaos in the Wolves box after a free-kick on halfway is driven into the area. The ball pinballs around and Mitrovic traps it with his chest, turns and fires a half volley into Coady's block, a touch which makes it spin wide of the left post.


07:30 PM

29 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Areola throws it out and sparks a quick counter. Robinson flies down the left and whips over a very good cross. Loftus-Cheek rises to meet it and glances it wide of the far post. Wrong choice, going for a flick rather than a full smack of he forehead. The look on Parker's face says it all. He should have scored.


07:28 PM

27 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Another Fulham corner on the left when Aina and Tete decide to knock it out rather than allow Traore to run on to it. The corner sails straight down Areola's throat.


07:26 PM

25 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Coady clips a 60-yard pass from the left of centre down the right wing for Podence who can't exploit it by beating Kongolo who gets his tackle in.


07:25 PM

23 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Ripped van Tarore wakes up and earns a corner on the left. Ait-Nouri takes and doesn't beat the first defender. This has been a very low-key, low quality start from both sides.


07:23 PM

21 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Andersen's 40-yard diagonal picks out Robinson who faces up Semedo and zips in a low cross that Wolves scramble away. They both seem to have identified a vulnerability to width in each other and keep trying to exploit the full-backs' defensive frailty with long diagonals from their captains and centre-halfs.


07:21 PM

19 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Wolves turn the tables on Andersen with Coady's long pass which puts Neto in behind the Fulham defence on their left. Adama, Dendoncker and Podence make their runs but Neto overhits the cross and curls it over their heads and Aina waves it out for a goalkick.


07:19 PM

17 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Quick one-two between Lemina and Loftus-Cheek sends Tete behind Ait-Nouri on the right. He surprises everyone by cutting inside on to his left and bending a very dangerous cross that is only a yard or so in front of Mitrovic who didn't react quickly enough.


07:16 PM

15 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Andersen picks out Robinson with a fine diagonal. Hoddle is impressed by his long passing. Semedo is caught out by the pass but his team-mates bail him out.


07:15 PM

14 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Semedo decides to try to pierce the defence by accelerating into a dribble and Robinson shoves him over. The free-kick to the right of the right-angle of the box and it's a shocker, arced beyond the six-yard box and the far post for a goalkick.


07:13 PM

12 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Lots of probing from Wolves, patiently passing while Fulham muster 11 men behind the ball. No penetration yet, though.


07:11 PM

10 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Poor long pass back from Decordova-Reid goes between Fulham's back three and midfield. Podence runs on to it and is only stopped by the quick thinking Kongolo.


07:09 PM

7 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Cagey start so far. Semedo has some space on the right but his low pass, fizzed into the box for Willian, is intercepted by Andersen who is on his wavelength more than the centre-forward.


07:06 PM

5 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Ait-Nouri gallops up the left but loses control of the ball mid-dribble when closed down by Tete and he knocks it out for a Fulham throw. Scrappy so far.

Fulham are playing three at the back with Aina on the right and Kongolo on the left of Andersen. Tete and Robinson are pushed up as wing-backs. Three at the back versus a lone striker is usually a good ploy.


07:03 PM

3 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Podence earns a free-kick, wide on the right, 15 yards from the box. Semedo takes and whips it to the near post where Willian Jose meets it with a glancing header from 15 yards that spins past the far post.


07:01 PM

1 min FUL 0 WOL 0

Former Wolves manager Glenn Hoddle is in the BT box. Fulham kick off and move it up the left but Robinson can't reach the long pass before it bounces into touch for a Wolves throw-in.


07:00 PM

After paying their respects

The referee takes the ball on the centre spot and calls the two captains together.


06:54 PM

There will be two minutes' silence for the Duke of Edinburgh

At all matches this weekend, starting here.

Here's Simon Briggs on Prince Philip's sporting legacy and here he is at the 1955 FA Cup final:

HM The Queen presents the FA Cup to the Captain of the winning Newcastle United side after their 3-1 victory over Manchester City at Wembley.  - Fox Photos/Getty Images
HM The Queen presents the FA Cup to the Captain of the winning Newcastle United side after their 3-1 victory over Manchester City at Wembley. - Fox Photos/Getty Images

06:30 PM

Your teams in black and white

Fulham Areola; Tete, Andersen, Kongolo, Aina; Lemina, Reed; De Cordova Reid, Loftus-Cheek, Robinson; Mitrovic.
Substitutes Fabri, Hector, Ream, Adarabioyo, Cavaleiro, Bryan, Onomah, Maja, Anguissa.

Wolves Patricio; Semedo, Coady, Saiss, Ait-Nouri; Neves, Dendoncker; Neto, Podence, Traore; Willian Jose.
Substitutes Ruddy, Hoever, Silva, Gibbs-White, Vitinha, Moutinho, Richards, Kilman, Otasowie.

Referee Jonathan Moss (Horsforth)


06:03 PM

Joao Moutinho returns for Wolves (on the bench)


06:03 PM

Two changes for Fulham

Lookman is injured and Tosin has been dropped to the bench. Robinson and Kongolo come in.


05:59 PM

Good evening

Having fluffed their lines when 1-0 up with 12 minutes to go at Villa Park last week and lost 3-1, Fulham have another opportunity to climb out of the bottom three when they host Wolves at Craven Cottage in the Friday night game at 8pm. A victory, after three successive defeats, would allow them to leapfrog Newcastle on goal difference while ceding two games in hand to the Toon, who go to Burnley at midday on Sunday. They were the better side for all but the last 20 minutes but, as so often, lacked the firepower to turn their superiority into security.

Wolves, who are 14th, and on a run of two points from their last five games, are having a terrible season, understandably so given what happened to Raul Jimenez and how influential his brilliance as a lone striker is to their system of play. But there have been too many underperforming players who should be capable of far more - particularly Adama Traore who has one assist in 29 appearances and Ruben Neves, who is good enough to play for any team in Europe.

The match at Molineux ended 1-0 to the home side, Pedro Neto scoring, when Fulham were still in their first incarnation of the season, the promotion side without the spate of loan signings who made them more solid and competitive. Raul was in the side that day, though, and the defensive failings Fulham later ironed out (but have recently crept back in) were obvious when Dendoncker’s drive was charged down and fell to Neto, who took one touch to control and another to fire through a thicket of Fulham's legs to score.

It wasn't what you'd call a thriller so let's hope for better tonight. Tom Cairney and Marek Rodak are out with long-term injuries for the home side and Ademola Lookman is a doubt after twanging a hamstring at Villa Park.

For Wolves Willy Boly is out, having tested positive for Covid-19, Jonny has injured his knee again and will be out for the rest of the season as are Fernando Marcal and Raul. But in better news Joao Moutinho should be available after missing the West Ham game. Join us for the team news at 7pm and kick-off at 8pm.