Antoine Semenyo scored the only goal as 10-man Bournemouth beat Wolves at Molineux to move into the top half of the Premier League table, despite having Milos Kerkez sent off.
Semenyo marked his return to the starting line-up with the opening goal, taking his tally to eight for the season when he slotted in from close range after Wolves failed to clear.
It was no less than the visitors deserved as they employed a positive approach from the outset.
Bournemouth created a plethora of chances with top scorer Dominic Solanke, Alex Scott, Kerkez and Justin Kluivert all testing home keeper Jose Sa, who performed admirably in the face of constant pressure.
The Cherries’ profligacy in front of goal looked like it was going to be punished when Hwang Hee-chan looked to have equalised in the second half, but his effort was ruled out after the video assistant referee (VAR) asked on-field official Stuart Attwell to check the pitchside monitor for a foul in the build-up.
Attwell, who was at the centre of a VAR storm after Nottingham Forest’s defeat by Everton on Sunday, deemed that Wolves substitute Matheus Cunha had caught Kluivert in the face with a swinging arm in the moments before Nelson Semedo delivered the cross for Hwang.
The game immediately fell back into its original pattern in the aftermath of that incident, with Bournemouth probing without finding any success in the final third, until they were reduced to 10-men for the final 10 minutes of regulation time after Hungary left-back Kerkez was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Matt Doherty.
Andoni Iraola’s side hung on throughout the closing stages – including 12 minutes of stoppage time – for a win that moves them up to 10th, two points behind eighth-placed West Ham, while Wolves drop to 12th.
More to follow.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers
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Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
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Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
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Squad number4Player nameBueno
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Squad number23Player nameKilman
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Squad number24Player nameToti Gomes
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Squad number5Player nameLemina
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Squad number21Player nameSarabia
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Squad number8Player nameJoão Gomes
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Squad number20Player nameDoyle
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Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri
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Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chan
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Squad number2Player nameDoherty
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Squad number6Player nameTraoré
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Squad number12Player nameMatheus Cunha
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Squad number62Player nameChirewa
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Squad number63Player nameFraser
AFC Bournemouth
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Squad number42Player nameTravers
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Squad number15Player nameA Smith
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Squad number27Player nameZabarnyi
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Squad number25Player nameSenesi
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Squad number3Player nameKerkez
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Squad number4Player nameL Cook
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Squad number10Player nameChristie
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Squad number24Player nameSemenyo
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Squad number14Player nameScott
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Squad number19Player nameKluivert
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Squad number9Player nameSolanke
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Squad number5Player nameKelly
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Squad number11Player nameOuattara
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Squad number23Player nameHill
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Squad number26Player nameÜnal
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Sá
- 22Nélson SemedoBooked at 23mins
- 4BuenoSubstituted forDohertyat 45′minutesBooked at 61mins
- 23Kilman
- 24GomesSubstituted forFraserat 90+3′minutes
- 5Lemina
- 21SarabiaSubstituted forChirewaat 64′minutes
- 8João GomesSubstituted forTraoréat 64′minutes
- 20DoyleSubstituted forMatheus Cunhaat 55′minutesBooked at 69mins
- 3Aït-NouriBooked at 44mins
- 11Hwang Hee-chan
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 6Traoré
- 12Matheus Cunha
- 17Bueno
- 25Bentley
- 37Holman
- 61Okoduwa
- 62Chirewa
- 63Fraser
Bournemouth
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 42Travers
- 15A Smith
- 27Zabarnyi
- 25SenesiSubstituted forHillat 87′minutes
- 3KerkezBooked at 79mins
- 4L Cook
- 10Christie
- 24Semenyo
- 14ScottSubstituted forKellyat 81′minutes
- 19KluivertSubstituted forOuattaraat 74′minutes
- 9SolankeSubstituted forÜnalat 87′minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 1Neto
- 5Kelly
- 11Ouattara
- 23Hill
- 26Ünal
- 29Billing
- 37Aarons
- 49Sadi
- 50Dacosta Gonzalez
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 25,541
Live Text
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Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0, Bournemouth 1.
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Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0, Bournemouth 1.
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Offside, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Maximilian Kilman is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Hwang Hee-Chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Rayan Aït-Nouri with a cross.
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by James Hill.
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Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ryan Christie (Bournemouth).
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Attempt missed. Boubacar Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
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Attempt blocked. Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nathan Fraser replaces Toti Gomes.
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Enes Ünal (Bournemouth) is shown the yellow card.
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Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ryan Christie (Bournemouth).
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Attempt saved. Mario Lemina (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt Doherty.
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Nélson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth).
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Ryan Christie.
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Attempt blocked. Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is blocked.
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by James Hill.
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Attempt blocked. Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Mario Lemina.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.