Fulham's ambitions of securing European football suffered a significant setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw by an already relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Sunday.
Mane opens scoring but gives away penalty
The match, which marked Wolves' final home fixture of the season, saw 18-year-old Portuguese forward Mateus Mane put the hosts ahead in the 25th minute. The teenager latched onto a loose ball and unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the area that flew past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
However, Mane's afternoon took a turn for the worse in first-half stoppage time when he brought down Fulham's Timothy Castagne inside the penalty area. Referee Thomas Kirk initially waved play on but was advised by the VAR to review the incident, and he subsequently pointed to the spot. Antonee Robinson stepped up and sent Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa the wrong way to level the scores.
Fulham's European hopes all but over
Fulham, who came into the match with aspirations of finishing in the top eight and qualifying for European competition, delivered a lacklustre performance that left them three points adrift with just one game remaining. The result leaves their European dreams hanging by a thread.
The Cottagers struggled to create clear-cut chances, with early efforts from Alex Iwobi and Sander Berge failing to trouble Sa significantly. Iwobi fired straight at the goalkeeper from a Castagne cross, while Berge headed over from a corner when well-placed.
Mixed emotions at Molineux
For Wolves, the season has been a disappointment, and the atmosphere at Molineux reflected that. Head coach Rob Edwards, who returned to the club following a stint elsewhere, was met with boos from some sections of the home support at the final whistle. The team has now gone 12 league games without a victory, with their last win coming on March 3.
On a more positive note, the home crowd rose to applaud former Wolves striker Raul Jimenez when he came on as a substitute for Fulham. The Mexican, who scored 57 goals for Wolves, was given a warm reception as a reminder of the club's more successful recent past.
Second-half chances
Wolves came close to regaining the lead midway through the second half when Hwang Hee-chan slipped a pass through to Adam Armstrong, but the striker's shot struck the post, denying him his first goal since March.
Fulham's frustration was evident as they failed to mount a sustained response, and the draw leaves manager Marco Silva's future uncertain, with speculation surrounding his position at Craven Cottage.
The result means Fulham will need other results to go their way if they are to salvage a European place on the final day of the season.
