Freakish own goal by goalkeeper gives Wolves crucial win over Leeds United
Premier League
By
Reuters
| Feb 20, 2021
A freakish own goal by goalkeeper Illan Meslier gave Wolverhampton Wanderers a 1-0 home win over Leeds United in the Premier League on Friday 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 in a fast-paced encounter at Molineux.
The home side grabbed a 64th-minute winner when Adama Traore beat two defenders with a jinking run down the left flank and his thunderbolt from 25 metres cannoned off the woodwork before it hit Meslier in the back and trickled over the line.
Leeds missed a sitter barely a minute earlier when Wolves keeper Rui Patricio superbly parried a close-range header by Patrick Bamford, whose follow-up was cleared off the line.
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 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.