Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Leeds United 0 – Tuesday night Carabao ache. Leeds United youngsters fade against the veteran Wolves players.
The team is a mixture of experienced first team players who have fallen out of favour with Marsch – Firpo, Llorente, and Klich; and young players looking to make a difference – Perkins,Joseph, Hjelde, Gyabi and Gelhardt. Harrison, Klich and Ayling providing the mature heads.
So, with Wolves playing closer to a full squad under their caretaker manager, anything could happen.
Promising start for Leeds with three shots on target in the first four minutes. Harrison delivered the kind of dangerous free kicks and corners missing from his first team appearances.
Wolves rely on their big guns – Neves and Adama to create opportunities. Perkins and Gelhardt show their willingness to try for shots on goal. Wolves begin in to grow in the game forcing corners. Gyabi looks lively in the midfield.
A largely forgettable first half ends with Wolves taking advantage of Leeds not keeping possession in midfield.
Second half ache
Wolves start the more dangerous in the second half forcing Robles in to a desperate save. Leeds suffer the curse of recent first team matches – Marsch demanding the team push forward quickly but the players’ passes go missing. Worrying injury for Gelhardt seems him replaced early in the second half by Greenwood.
Game opens up with Robles forced into another stretching save from Wolves with Leeds immediately counter attacking but Perkins is tackled just as he is about to take a shot . Despite the pressure the Leeds defence show calmness in playing out from the back.
As the game drifts into boredom, Wolves look hungrier for the ball and Traore is found unmarked in front of the middle of the penalty box and smashes the ball into the net. With five minutes to go, penalties are no longer an option. Wolves ended the match looking for a second goal, with Leeds ran out of ideas.
Man of the match: Gyabi