Championship
WolvesWolverhampton Wanderers2NorwichNorwich City2

Wolves 2-2 Norwich City

By Ged ScottBBC Sport at Molineux
Nelson Oliveira
Nelson Oliveira crashed in a late goal to earn Norwich a point

Wolves had victory snatched from them with the last kick of the game at Molineux as Nelson Oliveira's long-range right-foot shot earned Norwich City a dramatic point.

The hosts led 2-0 inside 25 minutes thanks to a Jamal Lewis own goal and an Alfred N'Diaye header.

Christoph Zimmermann's 27th-minute header set up a tense second half.

And, when Wolves looked to have seen it through, substitute Oliveira let fly from 35 yards and it sneaked in.

That cut Wolves' lead over second-placed Cardiff to nine points, but they still have a 13-point advantage over third-placed Aston Villa.

To add to the home frustration, Wolves have now lost key playmaker Ruben Neves to a two-game ban after picking up his 10th booking of the campaign.

It was the second time in four days that the Canaries had popped up with a point-saving last minute equaliser, after their derby draw with Ipswich on Sunday.

Nerves at Molineux?

It was a fun-packed first 27 minutes as Wolves, unchanged for the fifth successive game, took a two goal lead only to have it halved by the break.

Wolves led on 14 minutes when Neves and Jota cleverly opened up the Norwich defence, before goal line technology adjudged that the ball had crossed the line off visiting midfielder Lewis.

N'Diaye's header from another superb in-swinging Barry Douglas corner doubled the lead - the left back's 10th assist of the season, matching team-mate Ivan Cavaleiro as the Championship's best.

But, within two minutes, Zimmermann had headed in James Maddison's free kick.

Wolves had chances after the break, without looking at their most fluent.

Cavaleiro was just wide after Matt Doherty's gallop down the right, then Wolves seemed sure to score when Helder Costa got clear after Zimmerman's slip, but the covering Mario Vrancic defied a handball shout to somehow clear.

With only a one-goal cushion, Wolves were always vulnerable against a more than useful Canaries outfit - and the men in purple contrived an imperial finish.

Wolves looked to have escaped when, in injury time, the artful Maddison cut in and had his shot blocked. But, with a desperate final play of the match, Oliveira tried his luck and his dipping right-foot shot crept in at ex-Norwich keeper John Ruddy's left corner.

Ruddy, who has kept a Championship best 17 clean sheets this season, including against his former side at Carrow Road earlier this season, looked dejected although the ball did rear up awkwardly a yard in front of him.

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo told BBC WM:

"It feels like a punch. It goes in, then there's the final whistle. There's no time left and you've lost what you had.

"But football is like that. You have to be relentless and maintain your focus. John Ruddy has made so many saves and earned us so many points this season. We are not about individuals. We are a team.

"It was a set piece that got them back in the game, which disappoints us, but we had chances to kill the game and did not take them."

Norwich City boss Daniel Farke told BBC Sport:

"It's a good point. I'm proud of my lads. We deserved to come back.

"We dominated lots of the game. It was a late equaliser but a deserved one.

"We control games and look to exhaust opponents. That helps us to score late goals."

Line-ups

Wolves

Formation 3-4-3

  • 21Ruddy
  • 5Bennett
  • 16Coady
  • 15Boly
  • 2Doherty
  • 8NevesBooked at 36mins
  • 4A N'DiayeBooked at 52minsSubstituted forGibbs-Whiteat 69'minutes
  • 3Douglas
  • 17Hélder CostaSubstituted forSaissat 45'minutes
  • 18JotaBooked at 75mins
  • 7CavaleiroSubstituted forAfobeat 60'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Batth
  • 19Afobe
  • 24Gibbs-White
  • 25Miranda
  • 27Saiss
  • 31Norris
  • 33Bonatini

Norwich

Formation 3-4-1-2

  • 1Gunn
  • 31Hanley
  • 6Zimmermann
  • 15Klose
  • 4Reed
  • 10Leitner
  • 8VrancicSubstituted forHernándezat 83'minutes
  • 26Lewis
  • 23Maddison
  • 12WatkinsSubstituted forMurphyat 83'minutes
  • 32SrbenySubstituted forOliveiraat 68'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Husband
  • 9Oliveira
  • 11Murphy
  • 20Raggett
  • 25Hernández
  • 27Tettey
  • 33McGovern
Referee:
James Linington
Attendance:
29,100

Match Stats

Home TeamWolvesAway TeamNorwich
Possession
Home44%
Away56%
Shots
Home10
Away9
Shots on Target
Home3
Away6
Corners
Home3
Away4
Fouls
Home17
Away10

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Norwich City 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Norwich City 2.

  3. Goal!

    Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Norwich City 2. Nélson Oliveira (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Harrison Reed.

  4. Post update

    Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Willy Boly.

  5. Post update

    Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Moritz Leitner.

  6. Post update

    Attempt saved. James Maddison (Norwich City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nélson Oliveira.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Ryan Bennett.

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. James Maddison (Norwich City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Harrison Reed.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Diogo Jota (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Morgan Gibbs-White.

  10. Post update

    Attempt saved. Jamal Lewis (Norwich City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Josh Murphy with a cross.

  11. Post update

    Christoph Zimmermann (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Diogo Jota (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  13. Post update

    Moritz Leitner (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Diogo Jota (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  15. Post update

    Timm Klose (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Benik Afobe (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  17. Post update

    Timm Klose (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Benik Afobe (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  19. Post update

    Onel Hernández (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Barry Douglas (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Wolves33227459263373
2Cardiff33197749272264
3Aston Villa33179749301960
4Derby331611650282259
5Fulham331511755371856
6Bristol City33141274839954
7Sheff Utd32164124638852
8Middlesbrough331561243311251
9Preston33121564032851
10Brentford331311950401050
11Leeds33137134643346
12Norwich331210113437-346
13Millwall331112103935445
14Ipswich33136144443145
15QPR33109143646-1039
16Sheff Wed33813123540-537
17Nottm Forest33114183651-1537
18Reading3289153542-733
19Bolton3389162951-2233
20Birmingham3386192249-2730
21Hull32611154350-729
22Burton3378182659-3329
23Barnsley32610163147-1628
24Sunderland33511173458-2426
View full Championship table

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