Crystal Palace delivered a commanding performance at Molineux Stadium, securing a 2-0 victory that pushes them into the Premier League's top four while extending Wolverhampton Wanderers' winless streak to twelve matches.
Palace Domination Seals Wolves' Fate
The match turned decisively in Palace's favour during the second half when Daniel Muñoz broke the deadlock with a somewhat fortunate goal. The opening came from a short corner routine that saw Adam Wharton's powerful shot from the edge of the area deflecting off Maxence Lacroix before falling perfectly for Muñoz to convert from close range.
Just six minutes later, the visitors doubled their advantage through Yeremi Pino's spectacular strike. The Palace attacker collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area after Wolves substitute Hwang Hee-chan lost possession. Taking a moment to compose himself, Pino unleashed an exquisite shot that crashed off the underside of the crossbar before rippling the net.
Glasner's Delight Contrasts Edwards' Debut Disappointment
The quality of Pino's 69th-minute finish prompted wild celebrations from the travelling supporters and even caused Palace manager Oliver Glasner to momentarily lose his footing in the technical area during his enthusiastic reaction. By the final whistle, the away fans were in delirious mood, even engaging in playful banter with goalkeeper Dean Henderson about song choices.
For Wolves and their newly appointed permanent manager Rob Edwards, the afternoon provided only more frustration. This marked Edwards' first match in permanent charge after previously serving as under-18s head coach, under-23s coach, and first-team coach at the club. Wolves chairman Jeff Shi had earlier described the 42-year-old's return as "an old friend joining us as a leader of the club, to start a new chapter."
Premier League Consequences
The victory propels Crystal Palace into fourth position in the Premier League table, marking an impressive start to their campaign. Meanwhile, Wolves remain rooted to the bottom with just two points from their opening twelve matches, making them the only winless team across the top seven tiers of English football.
Despite encouraging pre-match soundbites and Edwards' visible enjoyment of the pre-match atmosphere - including his broad smile as "Hi Ho Silver Lining" played over the stadium speakers - Wolves struggled to match Palace's intensity for large periods of the game.
Palace had earlier missed several opportunities to take the lead, with Jean-Philippe Mateta spoiling an excellent move initiated by Adam Wharton's elegant left-footed pass from halfway. Wharton's clever first-time pass with the outside of his boot found Pino, who flicked the ball through to Mateta, but the French striker dragged his shot wide when through on goal.
Wolves enjoyed a brief period of pressure early in the second half, with Marc Guéhi blocking a powerful David Møller Wolfe effort and substitute Jhon Arias missing their best chance from just yards out after getting his feet tangled. However, Palace's quality ultimately proved decisive, leaving Wolves facing an increasingly concerning battle against relegation.
