Wolves dispatched after penalty shootout drama - report and reaction

An entertaining Carabao Cup tie saw us advance into round four following a dramatic penalty shootout against Wolves after a 2-2 draw at Molineux on Wednesday evening.

We led 2-0 in the first half thanks to goals from Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane, before the home side hit back to level it up with Leander Dendoncker and Daniel Podence on target either side of half-time.

Ending 2-2 after 90 minutes, the game went straight to penalties and, after the first four spot kicks were successfully converted, Ruben Neves fired over the bar. Bryan Gil netted his penalty, but that was the last goal of the night as Pierluigi Gollini saved from Dendoncker, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg saw his penalty saved by John Ruddy and then Conor Coady cracked his spot-kick against the crossbar to ensure we won the shootout 3-2.

We made a great start to the night with two goals inside the opening 23 minutes. The first came from Ndombele, who beat Willy Boly inside the area and slotted past Ruddy for his first of the season while Kane added a second, receiving Dele Alli’s fine pass and streaking clear of the Wolves defence before coolly finding the far corner of the net.

Dendoncker stooped to head home Rayan Ait-Nouri’s outswinging corner on 38 minutes to halve the home side’s deficit at the break and, after a lively start to the second half from both teams, Wolves wiped out our advantage completely on 58 minutes. Ndombele was caught in possession in midfield and the hosts broke swiftly, Dendoncker finding Podence who clipped home from 15 yards.

We had a couple of good chances to regain the lead only for Ruddy to make excellent saves to deny Bryan and Kane, while Neves saw two long-range efforts deflected late on, the first flicking off Ndombele and clipping the crossbar before a late free-kick skimmed off our defensive wall and went just over.

But a winning goal didn’t materialise and so it went to penalties. Wolves went first, Gollini getting a good hand to Hwang Hee-Chan’s penalty but unable to prevent it going in before Kane emphatically drew us level at 1-1.

Joao Moutinho scored, as did Sergio Reguilon, who had only entered the fray seconds prior to the final whistle, before the first miss of the shootout – Neves firing well over the bar. Bryan ensured we took full advantage with an excellent strike, and we were 3-2 up.

Gollini then made a great save down to his right to keep out Dendoncker’s penalty, but Hojbjerg’s spot-kick was also saved by Ruddy to keep the drama going. But not for much longer, Coady smacking his penalty against the crossbar – and we advanced 3-2 on penalties.

Topsy-turvy tie ends in our favour

After Sunday’s disappointing defeat at home to Chelsea, we needed a response and certainly got that in the opening half-hour with a really positive display. And, unlike Sunday, this time it was rewarded with the goals that we deserved.

We took the lead on 14 minutes thanks to a goal made with some real determination. Oliver Skipp won his battle to win the ball in midfield and found Ndombele, whose first touch may have been a little heavy but he was stronger than Coady to win the ball back and then showed good strength to hold off Boly inside the area before cutting back onto his right and sliding the ball under Ruddy.

There was a lovely flow to our football at times during that first half and it was no surprise when we doubled the lead nine minutes later. Skipp, Giovani Lo Celso and Dele combined in midfield, the latter threading a wonderful ball through the centre of the Wolves defence for Kane, whose exquisite first touch took him clear and he slotted home with clinical efficiency.

Wolves started to get a foothold in the contest and had their first real chance when Dendoncker headed straight at Gollini. That was just a taste of what was to come as in the 38^th minute, the Wolves man scored from another Ait-Nouri corner. Both sides then had chances just before half-time; Kane slid in Japhet Tanganga, who fired over from a tight angle, while Hwang Hee-Chan headed over at the other end.

Adama Traore’s introduction as a half-time substitute lifted the home crowd and he was his usual constant thorn in our side, although there were some superb tackles on the flying winger at times to stop him getting into his stride. There was no respite to the tempo of the game at the start of the second period, as the chances kept coming. Hee-Chan diverted Ki-Jana Hoever’s low cross over the bar and Ruddy denied Kane from close range before Ndombele’s long-range shot seemed to go straight through Ruddy but the goalkeeper got enough on it to send it wide.

Wolves levelled it up just before the hour mark through Podence, but we had a glorious chance to restore our lead only for Ruddy to make a great save from Bryan’s far post effort after an excellent low cross from Dele. The home keeper was at it again soon after, Kane meeting Heung-Min Son’s cross with a strong header but Ruddy got a good hand to it and the ball dropped just wide of the post.

Those two late long-range efforts from Neves almost gave Wolves a late winner but the deadlock couldn’t be broken, and spot-kicks were required to separate the two teams. Gollini’s great save from Dendoncker helped swing the momentum of the shootout our way and Coady’s wayward effort settled the tie.

Team news saw Nuno make six changes from Sunday’s defeat at home to Chelsea with Gollini, Tanganga, Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies, Skipp and Bryan coming in for Hugo Lloris, Emerson Royal, Eric Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg and Son.

Reaction on Spurs TV

'To learn and to grow, we must avoid and minimise mistakes'

Speaking to Spurs TV after the game, Nuno said: "We started very well, playing really nicely, we scored two beautiful goals, we had clear chances, then a set-piece against us and something that we really need to work on and improve – we cannot repeat the same mistakes over again. To learn and to grow, we must avoid and minimise these mistakes because that's what makes the game harder.

"Honestly, the way we were controlling the game, we didn't allow anything until the time we conceded. Then, again, we lost a little bit of control, in the second half we started strong, we had chances to score but Wolves at home, it's tough, we had to defend and then finally the penalties. But penalties are not luck, penalties we have to work on and the boys really practice, they did it very well and Gollini was good."

Highlights on Spurs TV

Match Data

Goals: Wolves – Dendoncker 38, Podence 58; Spurs – Ndombele 14, Kane 23.

Yellow cards: Wolves – Fabio Silva, Neves; Spurs - Ndombele.

Referee: Peter Bankes.

Venue: Molineux.

Attendance: 28,798.

Weather: Partly cloudy, mild night 16 degrees.