Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
Molineux.
Report and free highlights as Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez link up to produce goal for 10th time this season
Thursday 25 June 2020 06:02, UK
Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore combined again to continue Wolves' Champions League bid with a 1-0 win over lowly Bournemouth.
In a near carbon copy of his opener against West Ham on Saturday, Jimenez nodded in Traore's cross at the back post (60) to register his 15th Premier League goal of the season, and the 10th the pair have combined for, as Wolves kept the pressure on fifth-placed Manchester United, who they continue to trail on goal difference.
Bournemouth looked a far better side than the one sorrily beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace at the weekend, and restricted Wolves to a handful of meaningful efforts, but failed to register a single shot on target across 90 minutes.
Their best opportunity came when substitute Arnaut Danjuma bent a 20-yard effort just past the far post from a corner, but a fifth defeat from six games left them marooned inside the relegation zone with seven games to go.
It is not normal for English clubs to host games in 30-degree heat, but these are not normal times. A sluggish start was perhaps always on the agenda at Molineux, but after Bournemouth's early capitulation against Palace on Saturday, their primary focus was on a better opening half in the Black Country.
Their five-man midfield looked a lot more watertight against a Wolves side that failed to get into its stride, and in a game of few chances the main talking point came from how well the visitors dealt with the threat of the restored Traore, who found himself flanked by three black and red shirts every time he picked up the ball.
He had the best chance of the first half in its final minute, firing just over from the edge of the box, but 15 minutes into the second half he finally shook off his trio of markers to reach the byline and cross for Jimenez to beat Jack Stacey at the back post and head in the opening goal.
Boss Nuno Espirito Santo admitted this week he could not be certain Traore would remain at the club next season, and any watching eyes could have only been impressed by another moment of quality from the 24-year-old.
With the hot temperature stubbornly refusing to ease, Jimenez's strike did little to pick up the intensity of the game, and Aaron Ramsdale's next save would not come until 12 minutes from time when he kept out Wily Boly's inadvertent shot from a corner.
As Bournemouth became more desperate, substitute Danjuma came closest for Bournemouth as he bent an effort just past the far post with Rui Patricio beaten, while Pedro Neto wasted a superb chance to add a late second when he ended a glorious solo run by scuffing wide in the final minute of added time.
There were few stand-out performers in a game played in sweltering heat and including only two shots on target from either side.
With few moments of magic or intense play across the two teams, Jimenez's header was the pick of the bunch in what was his only shot of the match.
Wolves face a West Midlands derby and a trip to Aston Villa on Saturday; Kick-off at 12.30pm. After that, they have a week's break before welcoming Arsenal to Molineux on Saturday, July 4, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5.15pm; Kick-off at 5.30pm.
Bournemouth have a week off before hosting Newcastle at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday, July 1 live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5.30pm; Kick-off at 6pm. It is then a quick turnaround before they head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday, July 4; Kick-off at 3pm.
