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Championship
Apr 11, 2018 at 7.45pm UK
 
DL

2-0

Jota (6'), Neves (51')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Live Commentary: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Derby County - as it happened

:Headline: Live Commentary: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Derby County - as it happened: ID:323260: from db_amp
Relive Sports Mole's live coverage as Wolverhampton Wanderers move two points from promotion to the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Derby County.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have recorded a 2-0 win over Derby County in Wednesday's Championship encounter at Molineux.

Diogo Jota opened the scoring during the early stages before Ruben Neves scored one of the goals of the season as the Portuguese sent a volley over Scott Carson from around 35 yards out.

Wolves will earn promotion to the Premier League if they defeat Birmingham City in Sunday's West Midlands derby.

Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Championship between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Derby County. Wolves' win over Cardiff City last Friday has put Nuno Espirito Santo's side in pole position to get promoted but can Derby throw a spanner in the works? Let's see who features in each starting lineup...
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS XI: Ruddy; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Neves, Saiss, Douglas; Jota, Cavaleiro, Afobe

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS SUBSTITUTES: Norris, Batth, Hause, N'Diaye, Gibbs-White, Bonatini, Costa,

DERBY COUNTY XI: Carson; Wisdom, Pearce, Davies, Baird; Huddlestone, Ledley; Lawrence, Vydra, Weimann; Nugent

DERBY COUNTY SUBSTITUTES: Roos, Forsyth, Keogh, Palmer, Hanson, Jerome, Thomas

Let's start by looking at the Wolves team with Nuno opting to make just the one change to his starting lineup. Ivan Cavalerio has been brought into the team at the expense of Leo Bonatini, who drops to the bench.
It means that Afobe will revert to his more familiar position of centre forward having featured on the right flank against the Bluebirds. Diogo Jota has got the nod over Helder Costa who remains on the substitutes' bench.
The defence and midfield is as expected, with Romain Saiss remaining in the side over Alfred N'Diaye. The Moroccan has got through a lot of work since the last international break but he has stayed in the centre of the park.
As for Derby, Gary Rowett has decided to keep the same team for the third successive match and who can blame him either. Since the 4-1 humiliation against Sunderland, the Rams have recorded wins over Preston North End and Bolton Wanderers without conceding a goal.
It means that Andreas Weimann starts on his return to Molineux. Weimann spent the second half of the last campaign on loan at Wolves, with two goals being scored in 19 appearances in the Championship. Despite his poor goal return, the Austrian impressed during his time at the club and will surely get a warm welcome this evening.
Due to Fulham's win over Reading last night, Wolves are unable to seal promotion with a victory this evening but the motivation will be there to set themselves up for it ahead of the derby with Birmingham City on Sunday. As for Derby, Rowett and his side are looking to create a five-point margin between themselves and seventh-placed Middlesbrough.
PREDICTION! Difficult one to call, this. Wolves are naturally the favourites but Derby have started to find a bit of form and the pressure is off to a certain extent tonight. We are going to go for a 2-1 win for Wolves but it could be tight.
HEAD TO HEAD! Tonight's match represents the 153rd competitive meeting between the two clubs, with Derby claiming 66 wins in comparison to 54 victories for Wolves. Derby have only lost three of their last nine games against Wolves.
Wolves head into this match with the second best home record in the league with 46 points being recorded from 20 matches. However, Derby have also shown this season that they are more than capable on their travels with just three defeats being suffered in 20 fixtures. A total of 33 points have come from that period.
It's time for the two teams to make their way out at a sold out Molineux. There are no tickets remaining for any of Wolves' remaining home matches. Their supporters expect a party but there is still work to do in order to seal that place among English football's elite.
A reminder of the two teams...

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS XI: Ruddy; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Neves, Saiss, Douglas; Jota, Cavaleiro, Afobe

DERBY COUNTY XI: Carson; Wisdom, Pearce, Davies, Baird; Weimann, Huddlestone, Ledley, Lawrence; Vydra, Nugent

KICKOFF! Derby get us underway at Molineux.
The visitors have started on the front foot and it has taken them less than a minute to win a corner after Boly blocks a cross directed into the middle.
SHOT! The set piece is played to Weimann on the edge of the area but the former Wolves loanee sends a first-time strike over the crossbar.
Wolves' first flurry forward sees Doherty get down the right flank to deliver a cross but it fails to beat the first man and Derby clear.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Derby County (Diogo Jota)
As easy as that, Wolves take the lead. The home side are patient before Boly sends a ball over the top for the advancing Jota. Derby want offside but the Portuguese is comfortably on and he nonchalantly sends the ball over Carson and into the corner from 12 yards.
Derby looked like they were going to stamp their authority on this match given how they attacked from kickoff but it is all Wolves now. They are spraying the ball about for fun.
Wolves certainly aren't playing like a team who are carrying the pressure of trying to gain promotion to the Premier League. Their moves are free-flowing and they are prepared to stay patient until a gap opens up.
We mentioned at the start of our coverage that you couldn't blame Rowett for naming an unchanged starting lineup but 4-4-2 away at the league leaders is not working at all. Wolves have so much space when they are in possession.
SHOT! Another attack leads to Neves being left all on his own around 35 yards from goal. You don't want to do that. Neves takes a touch before sending a swerving shot towards the corner, which is parried by Carson, before a defender prevents Jota from converting the rebound.
It's still very early days but this doesn't feel like a game between the first and fifth-placed teams in a league. Derby are really struggling to get any kind of a touch on the ball.
Better from the Rams who should be given a free kick on the edge of the box. However, the referee waves play on as Huddlestone gets a shot on goal from distance, which is easily gobbled up by Ruddy.
CHANCE! Wolves hit straight back with Cavaleiro delivering a cross from the right for Afobe, but the January signing heads over from eight yards out. He should do better.
Derby win a set piece from a wide position but Pearce is offside as the ball is delivered into the box. Rowett must be furious.
The Rams have started to pose slightly more of a threat in the Wolves final third but that has only resulted in the home side taking their time to regain control of proceedings. No more chances to speak of from either team.
What Derby are doing well is getting Lawrence into the game. It's forcing Doherty to pay more attention to defending rather than galloping down the right flank.
It's not turned into a boring game but it's certainly become more uneventful. Wolves are more than satisfied to keep hold of possession rather than getting the ball forward with a great deal of urgency.
That's better from Wolves who initiate a collective press to force Derby into a mistake. Nothing comes from their retrieval of the ball but it is still a sign of intent.
Lawrence wins a free kick out of Bennett on the left flank. It's a soft one which Lawrence goes looking for, but Bennett took the bait. Chance here for the visitors.
The ball into the penalty area is floated straight into the hands of Ruddy without any real pressure. Another wasted opening from Derby.
Wolves go straight back up the other end and the quick footwork of Jota earns his side a free kick in a central position around 20 yards from goal. This is dangerous for Derby...
SHOT! Neves takes the shot on but it goes straight at Carson, who holds his position to the side of the wall. Wolves win a corner but Bennett heads over after a flick on from Boly.
Wolves win another free kick - again for a foul on Jota - but despite a flick on from Afobe, a teammate cannot get on the end of it at the back post.
Now it's Derby who win a free kick on the edge of the box, with Jota the guilty party. The decision could have gone the other way with the playmaker putting his foot up at the same time as a Derby player, but the Rams get the chance to get a shot on goal.
Lawrence's shot goes straight into the wall. That's been the story of Derby's night from set pieces. So far, anyway.
In all fairness to Derby, they are not prepared to take a one-goal deficit into the break which all things considered, isn't a disaster. They are still probing for an opportunity in and around the penalty area.
There will be one minute of added-on time. Derby defender Pearce has just kicked the ball into his own face, which left the Wolves fans very amused.
HALF TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Derby County
The half-time whistle goes at Molineux and Wolves lead thanks to that early effort from Jota. The home side have not really kicked on since that goal, however, and Derby will be relatively pleased having reached the break facing a narrow deficit.
Jota was able to score with a lofted volley from 12 yards out but the credit must go to Boly, whose perfectly-weighted pass over the top of the defence was ideal for the Portuguese. Jota has now scored 15 times in the Championship this season.
Wolves have also created opportunities through Neves and Afobe but the Rams weathered the storm and gave as good as they were getting before the half-time whistle. The chances are yet to come Derby's way but they can take positives from the opening 45 minutes.
Nuno is usually not shy in making a substitution but we think that he will hold fire for now. Rowett will probably take the same approach. The two teams are just about ready to make their way back out.
KICKOFF! Wolves get us back underway.
SHOT! Just like at the start of the game, Derby begin the half on the front foot. Nugent gets a shot away from distance but it misses the target.
Derby win a corner but it's a poor delivery and Wolves are able to launch a counter-attack after a mistake from Lawrence. However, Jota takes too much time with passing to Neves and Derby are able to deal with the threat.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Derby County (Ruben Neves)
Neves has just scored the goal of the season. Maybe the goal of any season. The ball reached him around 30 yards from goal and his initial control took it behind him. However, on the turn, the midfielder volleyed the ball over Carson and into the top corner of the net. It's outrageous.
Molineux is in shock after witnessing that. I am, too. It's utterly stupendous and it could be the goal which seals victory for Wolves.
SHOT! Derby almost halve the deficit through Nugent who is able to get a shot away from the edge of the area, but the ball goes just wide of the post.
The Wolves fans are now shouting shoot every time that Neves gets on the ball. He's on the halfway line. He would probably score as well! Derby are still in this but the Wolves supporters are ready to get into party mode. Maybe a little early right now...
Wolves have started to press for a third. Jota does well before being dispossessed inside the penalty area before moments later, a pass just fails to find Afobe who was waiting 12 yards from goal.
SHOT! Wolves are getting more and more space to do what they want in the Derby half of the pitch and Jota is able to try to find the far corner from 14 yards, only for Carson to get down well to his left.
Derby are continuing to show more ambition in the final third. It's very much game on if they can get a goal. Costa is imminent for Wolves.
Doherty and Afobe link up on the right flank before Afobe attempts to find his teammate with a cross. However, a deflection takes the ball into the hands of Carson.
SUBSTITUTION! Wolves' first change sees Costa replace Afobe. Jota is going to play down the middle.
The pace of the game has dropped a touch now. That suits Wolves perfectly. Rowett won't wait too much longer before making his first substitution.
Derby have spent the last minute or so with the ball but they have not gotten any nearer to the Wolves goal. It's going to take something special to get back into this match.
Wolves win a corner but Douglas's inswinging delivery fails to beat the first man. The quality of this game has decreased over the past few minutes but here come some alterations.
SUBSTITUTION! Derby's first change sees Palmer replace Ledley. As for Wolves, Jota is coming off and Bonatini is being sent on in his place.
There's not a lot happening right now, aside from Wolves putting together a number of short passes in their own half of the pitch. Derby are being made to chase and they are beginning to look thoroughly outclassed.
Nuno doesn't look overly impressed on the touchline. He wants more from his side. He doesn't get it when a free kick from the right fails to beat the first man.
This doesn't look good for Derby. In the space of a minute, Vydra has started to hold his groin and Lawrence is down holding his knee! They are Derby's two key men and he surely has to make a change.
SUBSTITUTIONS! It's Wolves who make an alteration first, with Gibbs-White replacing Cavaleiro. For Derby, Nugent is off for Jerome. Vydra and Lawrence are back on for now.
SUBSTITUTION! Rowett decides to withdraw Vydra, with Hanson being introduced in his place. Neves is currently down after taking a blow to the face.
Neves is back on his feet and ok to continue. Derby are back on the ball but Wolves are putting up a defensive wall in front of them. Nuno and the backline want this clean sheet.
The game is all but up for Derby, who are having to deny Wolves a third with Bonatini looking to link up with Costa. Bonatini has not scored since the start of December.
There will be four minutes of added-on time.
Wolves are just going through the motions now. The fans don't care one bit. They are already anticipating possible promotion to the Premier League with a win over Birmingham City on Sunday.
FULL TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Derby County
The full-time whistle goes at Molineux and Wolves have completed what turned out to be a comfortable win over Derby. Neves's goal will undoubtedly dominate the headlines but Nuno's side are now just two points away from promotion to the Premier League.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope to see you again soon.

If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.

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