Raul Jimenez returned to Molineux to secure a 2-2 draw for Wolves against Blackburn with a stoppage-time penalty.

Raul Jimenez scored a stoppage-time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Wolves against Blackburn in their Championship season opener at Molineux. Wolves initially took the lead through Marshall Munetsi, but Blackburn responded with goals from Sean McLoughlin and Andri Gudjohnsen to take the lead before Jimenez’s late intervention.

Match Summary and Key Moments

Wolves opened the scoring when Fer Lopez set up Marshall Munetsi for a neat finish past goalkeeper Balazs Hoth. Blackburn equalized when Sean McLoughlin headed in a cross from Ryoya Morishita. Early in the second half, Andri Gudjohnsen put Blackburn ahead with a close-range finish, silencing much of the 30,984-strong crowd. The game turned in stoppage time when a cross from Jackson Tchatchoua struck the hand of Blackburn’s Ryan Alebiosu inside the penalty area. The referee awarded a spot-kick, which Jimenez converted to secure a point for the home side.

Managerial Perspectives

Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto acknowledged that his team struggled with organization after falling behind, noting that players began playing with their hearts rather than their heads. Peixoto emphasized the need for the team to remain compact and improve their pressing triggers, stating that the pressure of the home crowd contributed to the team's difficulties. Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray expressed frustration with the penalty decision, suggesting the foul occurred outside the box. Despite the late equalizer, Mowbray praised his team's collective spirit and quality, noting that the squad performed well despite external predictions that they would struggle this season.