A freakish own goal by Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier has given Wolverhampton Wanderers a 1-0 home win and enabled them to leapfrog their opponents in the standings.
The result left Wolves 11th on 33 points from 25 games, one more than 12th-placed Leeds who have a game in hand but missed several chances to come away with something from a fast-paced encounter at Molineux.
An action-packed first half had Meslier parry two shots by Nelson Semedo after Pedro Neto had him at full stretch with a long-range pile-driver, while Mateusz Klich hit the post from a tight angle at the other end.
Leeds was agonisingly close to taking a 63rd-minute lead as Wolves keeper Rui Patricio superbly kept out a close-range header by Patrick Bamford, with the follow-up cleared off the line by a home defender.
But they were punished barely a minute later as Adama Traore beat two markers with a jinking run and before letting fly with a thunderbolt from 25 metres out that cannoned off the woodwork before it hit Meslier in the back and rolled into the back of the net.
Bamford had a clinical finish from inside the penalty area ruled out for marginal offside after a VAR check in the 79th minute as Leeds pressed in search of an equaliser.
Patricio then pulled off a pair of vital saves in stoppage time, keeping out a Helder Costa shot with his feet when the Leeds substitute was through on goal before he tipped a Raphinha header around the post.
Neto was pleased with the outcome and stressed Traore deserved all the credit for the Wolves winner.
"The goal was unlucky (that Traore didn't score himself) because it was a great shot and he did a great job," he told BT Sport. "We are working very well and it was important to keep a clean sheet so we are happy."
Wolves captain Conor Coady told the BBC: "A huge win against a real top team and we want to keep improving every game.
"We enjoy tonight, it was a fantastic performance. It was a fast game and a tough one to play in."
Reuters
