Fulham 0 Wolves 1 - Report

Nuno Espirito Santo's side earlier saw a Willian Jose goal chalked off for the tightest of offside decisions, but they had failed to get going for large spells at Craven Cottage.

A goalless draw against Scott Parker's battlers seemed a certainty but Traore had other ideas, getting off the mark in the Premier League with an unstoppable effort in the 92nd minute.

The result lifts Wolves up to 12th in the table, on 38 points with seven games left to play.

Analysis

Where on earth do you start with that one, then?

It was a drab game on the whole and an absurd call from video assistant referee David Coote – deeming Daniel Podence's shoulder to be in an offside position before crossing the ball to Jose – looked all set to be the major talking point.

The flaws of the technology and its handling of offside decisions were certainly thrust into the spotlight once more.

Add in the fact that Pedro Neto limped off with an early injury, and Wolves were about to reflect on another disappointing night in what has been a challenging campaign.

Thankfully, though, Traore came up with a true moment of magic.

It is not something we have seen enough from him over the course of 2020/21, of course, but it was a clear example of the Spaniard at his devastating best.

The fact Fabio Silva, again having an impact off the bench, got the assist is worth noting as well.

Traore, however, deserves enormous praise for – despite going 49 league games without scoring – having the belief to take the shot on, and executing it to absolute perfection.

Wolves' performance was far from perfect and there are lot of things they still need to work on. They are certainly not creating enough clear-cut opportunities.

But fans can head into the weekend with a smile on their face thanks to the work of Traore right at the end.

Special moments have proven few and far between over the course of this year. That is one worth savouring.

Those very nice three points should also ease any worries of being sucked into a relegation fight over the final weeks of the campaign.

Match report

Nuno, rather surprisingly, went with the same XI which started the 3-2 defeat to West Ham.

Jose kept his place in attack ahead of Silva – despite the teenager's well-taken second-half goal against David Moyes' charges – and the much-maligned 4-2-3-1 formation was also stuck with.

Joao Moutinho, who has been nursing a groin problem sustained while away with Portugal last month, made the Wolves bench.

Fulham, meanwhile, were without one of their key players in Ademola Lookman because of a hamstring issue.

Nuno's lot began in a tentative manner and skipper Conor Coady – also giving right-back Nelson Semedo pretty much constant instructions – kept reminding his team-mates to take things 'slow'.

Wolves had the first chance of the evening as Semedo's inswinging free-kick was glanced beyond the far post by Jose.

But the first 20 minutes saw neither team really look all that convincing.

The Cottagers slowly started to turn the screw and seemed keen to target Semedo, with Antonee Robinson more than happy to venture forward from left-wing-back.

That approach almost saw them go ahead, too, as a cross from the American was headed wide by Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Aleksandar Mitrovic would later follow suit.

Wolves were struggling to put anything together in open play and shortly after the half-hour mark, they were forced into a change. Neto pulled up off the ball and was replaced by Moutinho – Leander Dendoncker dropping into defence as they switched to 3-4-3.

As Neto took a seat in the stand with a bag of ice taped around his left knee, the half drew to an extremely controversial close.

Jose thought he had opened his account at long last, getting across his man to meet Podence's delivery into the six-yard box and beat Alphonse Areola.

However, video assistant referee Coote determined Podence's shoulder – by the tiniest of fractions and not even visible with the replay lines – was beyond Fulham's last defender, Terence Kongolo.

It was a scarcely believable call. Jose would have undoubtedly been left cursing his luck, and Nuno incensed.

Wolves, looking to shake off the frustration of that baffling decision, started the second period as they did the first. Fulham – despite their precarious position in the table – were not exactly forcing the issue either. It was flat.

As the game passed the hour, the Cottagers gradually grew in confidence and forced Nuno's pack back. They made an attack-minded substitution as well, with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa brought on for Loftus-Cheek.

Attacks from Wolves, meanwhile, had completely ground to a halt. Traore – who provided a half-promising moment before the break when he dragged a left-footed effort well wide – was barely involved.

He did, though, manage to win a free-kick on the edge of the box which Romain Saiss hammered wide.

In an attempt to add some much-needed creativity to proceedings, Morgan Gibbs-White came on for the tiring Podence. Jose then went off for Silva, while Fulham threw on Josh Maja and former Wolves man Ivan Cavaleiro.

And just as a drab game on the whole appeared destined to end 0-0, Traore remarkably had the last laugh.

The Spaniard got off the mark for the league campaign in stunning fashion, latching onto Silva's pass and thundering the ball beyond the utterly helpless Areola to give Wolves all three points and put an enormous dent in the Cottagers' survival hopes.

Teams

Fulham (3-4-3): Areola; Aina (Cavaleiro, 84), Andersen (c), Kongolo; Tete, Reed (Maja, 74), Lemina, Robinson; Decordova-Reid, Mitrovic, Loftus-Cheek (Anguissa, 63)

Subs not used: Fabri (gk), Hector, Ream, Adarabioyo, Bryan, Onomah

Wolves (4-2-3-1): Patricio; Semedo, Coady (c), Saiss, Ait-Nouri; Neves, Dendoncker; Neto (Moutinho, 33), Podence (Gibbs-White, 73), Traore; Jose (Silva, 78)

Subs not used: Ruddy (gk), Hoever, Richards, Kilman, Otasowie, Vitinha

Goal: Traore (90+2)

Referee: Jonathan Moss (Sunderland)