Wolves 1-1 Portsmouth: Late Devlin Goal Earns Pompey a Point

Terry Devlin’s late volley earned Portsmouth a point at Molineux and sent Wolves‘ supporters home frustrated after a dominant second half. The hosts’ inspired substitutions again looked set to prove decisive, four days after Tawanda Chirewa came off the bench to win it at Burnley. This time, though, Wolves could not hold on to their advantage.

The first half gave the crowd little to cheer. Sky Sports called it forgettable, with Andre’s effort the only Wolves chance. Portsmouth’s only opening came in the 36th minute, when Rocco Shein’s low shot from a deep Adrian Segecic free-kick finished a few feet wide. Boos were heard around the stadium for the second time in a week. With Adam Armstrong missing through injury, Wolves lacked a focal point in attack.

Wolves responded at the break. They made a double change, with Chirewa and Jordan James replacing Sean Neave and Munetsi, and the team improved markedly. Five minutes after the restart, Chirewa beat Tyrese Shade too easily and fired an angled shot that deflected off Dia and struck the bar. Wolves often had ten players in Portsmouth’s half as they pushed for a goal. Mateus Mane dragged a low drive well wide, and Fer Lopez volleyed wide from Rafiki Said’s cross.

The breakthrough came on 62 minutes. James started the move with a one-two with Lopez, then slammed a fierce low first-time drive past Nicolas Schmid at his near post. The goal followed a careless pass from Portsmouth’s Kamara that handed possession back to Wolves. The lead looked deserved and Wolves seemed likely to add to it. But the home side never truly threatened to extend the advantage, and that left Portsmouth in position to equalise.

In the final ten minutes the visitors found renewed thrust. They had not hit the target all night when Devlin struck in the 86th minute. Wolves hurriedly went for a winner, but Lopez had a goalbound shot blocked and Chirewa lashed wide in stoppage time.

Wolves could point to the scoreline being harsh on them, given Chirewa’s bar-rattler and the chances Mane and Lopez missed. It was a missed opportunity in the first of three consecutive home matches. Portsmouth manager John Mousinho had rotated an exhausted side, so the point was a gutsy one for the visitors. It leaves Wolves on 18 points and Portsmouth on 15.