Wolverhampton Wanderers began their 2026-27 Championship campaign with a dramatic 2-2 draw against Blackburn Rovers at Molineux, thanks to a late penalty from Raul Jimenez.

Match Overview

The match saw Wolves take an early lead in the 18th minute when Marshall Munetsi calmly finished after receiving a well-placed pass from Fer Lopez. However, Blackburn responded effectively, with Sean McLoughlin equalizing before half-time by glancing a header from Ryoya Morishita into the far corner. The visitors then took the lead just three minutes into the second half, as Andri Gudjohnsen tapped in from a deflected cross by Oladapo Afolayan.

Late Drama

Despite Wolves dominating possession and creating more opportunities, they struggled to find the back of the net. As the match approached stoppage time, a handball by Ryan Alebiosu provided Wolves with a lifeline. Jimenez, who had come on as a substitute in the 60th minute, stepped up to take the penalty and successfully converted it, sending Blackburn's goalkeeper Balazs Toth the wrong way.

Looking Ahead

This late equalizer not only salvaged a point for Wolves but also provided a boost in confidence as they prepare for their upcoming match against Preston North End. With Jimenez's impactful performance, which included three shots and winning three of five duels, Wolves will be eager to build on this momentum. Despite the draw, their expected goals tally of 2.04 from 18 shots compared to Blackburn's 0.82 from 10 attempts suggests they were deserving of more from the match.