Raul Jimenez returned to Molineux Stadium and, with a calm finish from the penalty spot in stoppage time, secured a 2-2 draw for Wolverhampton Wanderers against Blackburn Rovers. The match began brightly for the home side when Marshall Munetsi found the net after Fer Lopez threaded a precise pass that allowed Munetsi to slot the ball cleanly past Blackburn keeper Balazs Hoth. Blackburn responded promptly; a well‑timed cross from right‑winger Ryoya Morishita was met by Sean McLoughlin, who rose to head the ball level, restoring parity.
The second half saw the visitors take the lead early. Andri Gudjohnsen, who had been a constant threat since the kickoff, pounced inside the box and finished from close range, sending the 30,984 spectators into a brief frenzy.
Wolves, desperate for an answer, introduced the returning hero Jimenez off the bench. For a while it seemed the deficit would hold, as the Wolves struggled to create clear-cut chances. The turning point arrived when Jackson Tchatchoua delivered a low left‑wing cross that struck the hand of Ryan Alebiosu just inside the penalty area.
The referee pointed to the spot, and Jimenez stepped up. He kept his composure, placed the ball low to the left side of the keeper, and the ball rolled in, guaranteeing a point for Cesar Peixoto’s side. While the point was hard‑won, many felt it was barely deserved. Blackburn, managed by Tony Mowbray, entered the season as underdogs and have already exceeded many expectations.
Their resilience was evident, but they could not hold onto the lead. Wolves, on the other hand, must make significant improvements if they hope to meet their own lofty ambitions. Key moments of the match included: - 18' – Munetsi opened the scoring for Wolves. - 28' – McLoughlin headed Blackburn level.
- 49' – Gudjohnsen put Blackburn ahead. - 60' – Jimenez introduced as a substitute.
- 93' – Jimenez converted the penalty to equalise. After the final whistle, Jimenez spoke to Sky Sports about his emotions: "It feels amazing to be back and to score in the first game of the season. It isn’t the result we wanted at home, but we’ll learn from it.
Every match will be tough, regardless of the opponent. We need to keep pushing, keep improving, and aim for more points and goals." He also reflected on a gesture he made for the fans in the Sir Jack Hayward Stand, where he handed out complimentary "Si Senor" scarves: "I wanted to give something back to the supporters who have shown me love for eight years, even when I wasn’t at the club.
It was the least I could do for their loyalty." Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto offered a candid assessment: "We didn’t get the result we wanted; we wanted to win. The first half was better – we created chances but failed to finish.
In the second half we slipped, conceded, and then played more with heart than with our heads. Our organization broke down, making it harder to recover.
Still, the players showed great heart and fought until the end. We must become a side that never gives up, but we also need to tighten up and stay organized." During the post‑match press conference, Peixoto was asked why Wolves seemed to lose their structural discipline.
He noted that the atmosphere at Molineux – a packed, passionate crowd – can raise expectations and pressure the players, especially when they fall behind. "When the team is not performing the way we want, they revert to playing with emotion rather than intellect," he said. "That’s a recurring issue we need to address." The underlying concern for Wolves is the tendency to let past experiences dictate current performance. A full stadium brings heightened expectations, and the players appeared unsettled after conceding the second goal.
While the late penalty salvaged a point, the period when they were trailing revealed deeper tactical flaws. Peixoto admitted: "We didn’t wait for the right moments to press high, and when we did, we lost compactness. That caused us more problems than it solved." The anxiety displayed by both the players and the crowd on the opening night of the Championship campaign is not a promising sign. Wolves are expected to make squad adjustments in the coming weeks, hoping that fresh personnel will bring stability.
However, lingering frustrations from previous seasons could become a persistent obstacle. Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray also shared his perspective on the penalty decision. He said, "From the still pictures it looks like the handball happened outside the box, but if the ball hits the hand away from the body, modern football usually awards a penalty.
It still appears to be outside, though." Mowbray revealed that before traveling to Wolverhampton, he listened to pundits predicting Blackburn’s relegation. He noted the club’s recent signings – a young talent from Stockport County, Jayden Fevrier, and free‑transfer midfielder Sam Morsy – and expressed confidence that the squad possesses enough quality to challenge higher‑placed teams. In summary, the match was a dramatic roller‑coaster that highlighted both Wolves’ need for greater tactical discipline and Blackburn’s surprising resilience.
The draw leaves both teams with work to do: Wolves must tighten their organization and manage the pressure of a demanding fan base, while Blackburn will look to build on this performance and prove that early season skepticism was misplaced.