Costly errors and a red card: Wolves’ 10 men rally but fall short at Bournemouth

Wolves left the south coast empty-handed after a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth that hinged on an early concession and a second-half dismissal. Marcus Tavernier’s fourth-minute strike, diverted in off a defender and the underside of the bar after pressure on Jean‑Ricner Bellegarde, put the hosts ahead and set a difficult tone for Vítor Pereira’s side.

There was greater bite after the break—even with 10 men following Toti Gomes’ straight red for a push on Evanilson—but the equaliser never arrived. Djordje Petrovic repelled Jorgen Strand Larsen’s best look, and Jose Sa had to keep Wolves alive with a fine save from Tyler Adams as a sluggish start and blunt finish added up to a second straight league loss.

An opening that set the tone

Under pressure near their own area, Wolves were punished when Bellegarde was harried, Antoine Semenyo slid the ball to Tavernier and the winger’s low strike took a hefty deflection before clipping in off the bar. From there, Bournemouth’s confidence swelled, and Wolves struggled to stitch together phases.

There were flickers: Ki‑Jana Hoever’s cross produced a first-half header from Strand Larsen that forced Petrovic into a sharp save. But rhythm was missing and the back line needed early reshaping as Hoever’s injury brought on Jackson Tchatchoua, while David Moller Wolfe endured a difficult opening and was replaced at the interval.

Halftime reset, early spark, then the red

Pereira sent on André and Hugo Bueno at the break and, within seconds, Wolves carved their best move. Bueno found Jhon Arias, whose first-time effort smashed into the sidenetting. It felt like a fresh start—until Toti panicked as Evanilson broke clear and pushed him in the back, drawing a straight red within minutes of the restart.

To their credit, Wolves’ 10 men roused. Tchatchoua repeatedly surged down the flank, and Strand Larsen continued to contest everything up top. Yet for all the endeavour, Bournemouth mostly kept the danger in front of them. When the hosts broke, Adams’ long-range drive demanded a strong save from Sa; at the other end, clear sights of goal were scarce.

Selection calls and a blunt edge

Andre’s omission from the starting XI surprised many, a decision Pereira framed post-match as part of a meritocratic message: “positions are not a gift.” The coach turned to the Brazilian at half-time, while Arias—who had nearly levelled—was withdrawn a little over 10 minutes into the half, prompting a smattering of boos from the away end.

Those flashpoints reflected a wider issue: Wolves’ lack of incision. Besides Strand Larsen’s first-half effort that drew Petrovic’s best save, attacking moments came in snatches. The structure looked cleaner after the changes, but the deficit and the red card left little margin for error.

Injuries, reinforcements and the work ahead

There was further cause for concern when Strand Larsen had to be withdrawn late on with an Achilles problem, which the head coach does not believe to be serious but will nonetheless monitor. Pereira also reiterated his desire for three signings before the window shuts—a defender, a midfielder and a forward—to bolster a squad that has lost key players over the summer.

The schedule offers a chance to reset quickly: West Ham visit Molineux in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, with Everton next in the league. As Pereira put it, the response must be built on “work and work and work”—cutting mistakes, restoring confidence and turning industry into goals.