Sports

Wolves beat Palace, climb to third

Wolverhampton Wanderers moved up to third in the Premier League after beating Crystal Palace 2-0 on Friday thanks to goals from on-loan teenage wingback Rayan Ait-Nouri and Daniel Podence.

Sentinel Digital Desk

LONDON: Wolverhampton Wanderers moved up to third in the Premier League after beating Crystal Palace 2-0 on Friday thanks to goals from on-loan teenage wingback Rayan Ait-Nouri and Daniel Podence.

France under-21 international Ait-Nouri gave the hosts the lead in the 18th minute after latching on to a clearance and driving a bouncing shot into the far corner for his first goal in senior football on his Premier League debut.

Wolves midfielder Leander Dendoncker then hit the post with a powerful shot before Portuguese winger Podence made it 2-0, meeting Pedro Neto's cross from the right with a superb cushioned volley in the 27th minute.

Palace had several VAR decisions go against them, with a Michy Batshuayi goal disallowed and a penalty award overturned, both for offside.

Wolves substitute Adama Traore had a great chance to put the game out of reach in the 83rd minute but he fired a powerful shot straight at Palace keeper Vicente Guaita who parried it away to safety.

Palace suffered a further setback when Luka Milivojevic was given his marching orders in the 87th minute after a review showed a nasty foul on Joao Moutinho.

The win puts Wolves on 13 points from seven games. They trail leaders Everton and second-placed Liverpool on goal difference. Palace are ninth on 10 points.

Podence, whose only other league goal for Wolves also came at home to Palace, praised fellow scorer Ait-Nouri, 19, who joined on a season-long loan, with the Midlands club having an option to buy, from Ligue 1 Angers earlier this month. Agencies