Sheff Utd 2-1 Wolves: Norwood’s last-gasp penalty earns the Blades their first Prem win of the season

News Desk
Sheff Utd vs Wolves
Ollie Norwood nets winner for Sheffield United.

Oliver Norwood’s penalty with the last kick of the game earned Sheffield United their first victory of the Premier League season as they beat Wolves 2-1.

The skipper smashed the ball home from 12 yards after Fabio Silva brought down George Baldock in the seventh minute of time added on as the Blades won at the 11th attempt.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s 89th-minute strike had cancelled out Cameron Archer’s impressive opener as it looked like Sheff Utd would have to settle for a point.

But this was just the tonic Paul Heckingbottom – who is among the favourites to win the Premier League sack race – needed after a harrowing start to the campaign on their return to the top tier and they are now just two points off safety after Burnley and Bournemouth lost again.

There was more penalty woe for Wolves, following on from last week’s controversy against Newcastle, but their five-match unbeaten streak came to an end.

The sodden conditions made for a chaotic opening, where Wolves looked the most likely as they regularly found space down their right-hand side.

Matheus Cunha burst forward in the opening five minutes but his dangerous cross avoided everyone while Nelson Semedo blasted over after he made headway.

Hee-Chan Hwang looked dangerous and forced Wes Foderingham into a flying save before the South Korean was involved in the best opening of the first half in the 32nd minute.

He wriggled clear in the box and looked primed to score but skewed his shot straight into the path of Rayan Ait-Nouri, who could not turn the ball goalwards.

Sheffield United improved immeasurably after the break and boxed Wolves in for the first 20 minutes.

Archer sent an effort just over from 20 yards while James McAtee failed to work Jose Sa from a free-kick in a dangerous area.

Just as it looked as if Wolves had weathered the storm, the Blades went ahead in the 72nd minute with a moment of quality.

There was some fortune in how it came about as a clearance from Cunha hit McAtee and sent Archer clear but from then on it was all about the former Aston Villa striker.

As it looked like he might be caught by the chasing Wolves defenders, Archer unleased a 25-yard shot that arrowed in off the underside of the crossbar.

But the Blades appeared to suffer more disappointment in the 89th minute when Bellegarde’s effort deflected off Baldock and over Foderingham, who got a hand to it.

There was late drama as Silva went through the back of Baldock deep into time added on and after the decision by referee Rob Jones survived a vigorous VAR check, Norwood smashed the spot-kick in off the crossbar to send Bramall Lane into raptures.

FEATURE: Southgate to Manchester United as Allardyce and Lampard return… predicting every club’s next boss