Wolves dent Aston Villa’s Champions League hopes to surpass record low points tally
· Yahoo Sports
Wolves delivered a significant blow to Aston Villa’s Champions League aspirations with a 2-0 victory at Molineux, a result that also saw them surpass Derby County’s record-low Premier League points tally.
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Second-half goals from Joao Gomes and Rodrigo Gomes secured only Wolves’ second win in 29 games, taking their season total to 13 points and moving them beyond the meagre 11 points posted by the Rams in the 2007-08 season, thus avoiding the notoriety of being the worst-ever Premier League team.
The defeat was particularly galling for Unai Emery’s side, coming against local rivals and extending their poor record at Molineux.
Villa’s woeful display saw their top-four hopes take another hit.
Joao Gomes scored Wolves’ opener (Nick Potts/PA Wire)Having been in the title race as recently as January, their form has dramatically declined, with just one win from their last five games, leaving them now looking over their shoulder at the chasing pack rather than challenging at the top.
Villa had not won at Molineux since 2020, so, despite their respective positions in the table, the visitors knew this was not going to be an easy game.
The weather did not help, with rain lashing down and affecting both sides’ ability to move the ball around.
Still, it was Villa that looked the most likely initially and they fashioned several good chances in the first half.
The first came after six minutes when Morgan Rogers played a brilliant ball for Ollie Watkins to race on to, but the striker took too long to get his shot away and it was blocked by Yerson Mosquera.
From the resulting corner, Pau Torres found himself in yards of space near the penalty spot but could not make a clean connection with his header.
Rodrigo Gomes scored the second eight minutes into second half stoppage time (Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)Jose Sa was tested for the first time in the 17th minute as Douglas Luiz produced a rasping volley from Matty Cash’s cross, but it was straight at the goalkeeper.
Villa could not find that early goal and the level of their performance slipped alarmingly as the match went on.
They were punished just after the hour as Wolves scored with their first shot on target.
They won the ball in midfield, Jackson Tchatchoua was given too much space to send in his cross, which Adam Armstrong laid off for Gomes to power the ball into the roof of the net.
It was the only real moment of quality in a poor game.
Villa tried to get something out of it in the final 30 minutes, but the closest they came was when Ian Maatsen thrashed an effort straight at Sa.
Their best chance came in the seventh minute of stoppage time when a loose ball fell to Amadou Onana, but Sa got enough on the ball to allow Mosquera to clear off the line.
Then, with the game in the final throes, Wolves sealed the three points with a breakaway goal, Rodrigo Gomes converting from 12 yards.
This result will not change the outcome of Wolves’ season but there were wild scenes of celebration at the end while Emery stormed down the tunnel in disgust.