Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Southampton. Premier League.
MolineuxAttendance31,147.
Report and highlights as Wolves climb to eighth
Sunday 30 September 2018 17:36, UK
Ivan Cavaleiro came off the bench to score just moments into his Premier League debut to set Wolves on their way to a 2-0 win over Southampton.
Cavaleiro struck 11 minutes from time at Molineux and Jonny (87) added a second late on to secure the three points for the home side.
Southampton were the better side for long spells, especially in the second half, but when Wesley Hoedt failed to deal with Adama Traore's low cross, Raul Jimenez teed up Cavaleiro to fire in the opener.
Matt Doherty was then allowed to get to the byline and pick out Jonny, who had the time to initially miscontrol the ball before firing past Alex McCarthy from close range.
Wolves' victory lifts them up to eighth, a point outside the top six, while Southampton drop to 15th.
Wolves settled quickest on a bright day in the Black Country and had a flurry of opportunities in the first 15 minutes as their front three began to find space between the Southampton defence and midfield.
Doherty headed wide from a free-kick but the best chance fell to Jonny, whose right-footed effort from 15 yards was pushed away by Alex McCarthy, after the ball had fallen to him following good play from Helder Costa to free Doherty on the right.
Southampton gradually worked their way into the match and ended the half the better side and could easily have been in front but for a good stop from Rui Patricio to deny Mohamed Elyounoussi when the winger was put in by Nathan Redmond clipped pass.
After a scrappy opening to the second period, it was Southampton who seized the initiative and kept Wolves penned inside their own half.
Danny Ings saw his shot blocked after a quick turn in the box and substitute Stuart Armstrong forced a save from Patricio from a similar position by the right corner of the six-yard box.
Wolves held on though and it was two substitutes of their own who proved decisive. Traore attacked the box and fired in a cross, Hoedt cut it out but slipped in doing so, allowing Jimenez to play the ball into the path of Cavaleiro, who thumped the ball high into the net.
Jimenez was denied a goal when McCarthy dived at full-stretch to flick the header over the bar with a fantastic save but the Saints goalkeeper was beaten again by the end, Doherty brushing past Armstrong weak challenge and finding Jonny, who overcame a poor first touch to ram the ball home.
Wolves were a long way form their best despite the result at Molineux but in Doherty they have a player they know they can rely on, even when things aren't clicking for the rest of the team. The wing-back was always available down the right and was involved in almost every positive moment for Wolves going forward, including providing the assist for the second goal. Defensively he was solid too, helping to keep Nathan Redmond quiet. An all-round impressive, if understated, display.
Wolves have a week to prepare for their next fixture, away at Crystal Palace at 3pm next Saturday while Southampton travel to Merseyside for a Carabao Cup third-round tie against Everton on Wednesday.
The Saints return to league action with a tricky home fixture against Chelsea at St Mary's next Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
