Raul Jimenez entered the match as a substitute and delivered a decisive strike in the 90th minute, clinching a 1-0 triumph for Wolverhampton Wanderers over Sheffield United. The win was hard‑earned, with both sides creating only a handful of clear opportunities throughout the encounter. Early in the second half, Wolves appeared to have been denied a penalty when Mark McGuinness made contact with the ball inside his own area. The referee, Rob Jones, chose to award a corner rather than a spot‑kick, a decision that sparked debate among the commentators.
Sky Sports co‑commentator Gary Rowett noted the controversy, saying, "His arm comes out, it hits him on the end of the arm. I think Sheffield United have probably got away with one there." Sheffield United, managed by Chris Wilder, have struggled to break the pattern of both scoring and conceding in the majority of their recent home games – 14 of their last 15 Championship fixtures at Bramall Lane have produced at least one goal for each side.
This match, however, broke that trend, as the Blades failed to find the net despite a few promising moments. The first half was largely uneventful in terms of goal‑creating chances.
Wolves managed just two touches inside Sheffield United's penalty area and generated a meager 0.06 expected goals (xG). Their most significant threat came from midfielder Marshall Munetsi, who pressed high and forced the opposition defence into uncomfortable positions, although Sheffield United goalkeeper Michael Cooper was rarely called upon to make a save. In the 50th minute, Mateus Mane delivered a low cross that drifted towards the far post.
McGuinness attempted to clear the ball with an outstretched hand, inadvertently diverting it behind the goal line. Referee Jones again opted for a corner rather than a penalty, maintaining the status quo.
Sheffield United’s debutant Jordan Ayew provided a flash of excitement when he surged down the right wing, cut inside and unleashed a powerful shot that narrowly missed the far post. The moment hinted at a potential breakthrough for the home side, but the decisive moment would come later. The decisive play unfolded when Andre linked up with Kieran Trippier, who then threaded the ball to Tommy Doyle.
Doyle, spotting the unmarked Jimenez in the box, laid the ball off to the Mexican striker. Jimenez, showing composure beyond his years, swept the ball home from close range, sealing the victory for Wolves. After the match, Chris Wilder reflected on the result, acknowledging the high level of competition in the Championship: "It's top‑end Championship football when you're playing teams like we have done today. They punish you if you just switch off for a moment.
The players maybe didn't get what they deserved from the game, but that's how the Championship is at times, so we have to roll with that and handle it. Especially in the second half, we limited a very attacking team to virtually nothing.
I don't think Michael [Cooper] had a save to make. It's just disappointing, with the positions we've got into, that we've not found that little bit of quality to get our noses in front." Wolves head coach César Peixoto praised his side’s resilience: "It's an important win for us.
We knew it was going to be difficult to play in this stadium against this team. Today, the team was a team for 90 minutes. It was important the guys who came from the bench pushed in the last minutes to try to score.
We scored and we won. I think we deserved it because we were the better team, but it was a difficult game for us." Peixoto also addressed Jimenez’s role in the squad, noting his age and the need for careful management: "He's 35 years old, so we have to manage him the best way.
He's a key player for us. This week, we have three games, so we had to manage the options. Raul, as a captain, helped the team from the bench, not only with the goal he scored, but he helped to defend the set‑pieces." The victory moves Wolves higher up the Championship table and provides a morale boost ahead of a congested fixture schedule.
For Sheffield United, the loss underscores the fine margins that often decide matches in the league, where a single decision – such as the non‑award of a penalty – can change the outcome. Both managers will now turn their attention to the upcoming games, with Wolves hoping to build on the momentum generated by Jimenez’s late heroics, while Sheffield United will look to rectify the missed opportunities and tighten their defence to avoid similar disappointments in future encounters.