Van Hecke rescues a point with late header

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Defender's second goal for Albion makes it 1-1 at Molineux

Bruce Talbot

2025-10-05T15:55+01:00

Jan Paul van Hecke celebrates after making it 1-1. 📷 James Boardman

Jan Paul van Hecke scored only his second Premier League goal to earn Albion a deserved point at Molineux.

The home side looked as if they would hang on to Marshall Munetsi’s first-half goal to earn their first win since April.

Delight for Jan Paul van Hecke after his late equaliser. 📷 James Boardman

But Albion, dominating dominated possession for most of the second half, drew level with five minutes to go when van Hecke met Maxin De Cuyper’s cross with a towering header.

It wasn’t a classic and Albion were guilty of squandering some good openings in the second half with a poor final ball but four points from the last two away games is still a decent haul to take into the international break.

Brajan Gruda nearly profited after intercepting a back pass. 📷 James Boardman

Albion had settled quickly with their counter-attacks spreading concern among an already anxious home crowd. Mats Wieffer, back in the side at right-back, saw a shot deflected before Yankuba Minteh did well down the left to pick out Ferdi Kadioglu, who had made a great supporting run but shot straight at Johnstone.

Bart Verbruggen got a hand to Marshall Munetsi's shot but couldn't keep it out. 📷 James Boardman

But it was Wolves who broke the deadlock after 24 minutes, moments after their manager Vitor Pereira had been sent to the stands. Pereira had already booted a ball into the home dugout in frustration as he protested about a foul by Carlos Baleba, who was booked for his next indiscretion. Pereira was making his way down the tunnel when the free-kick was swung in from the left.

Jorgen Strand Larsen won a header, Danny Welbeck’s headed clearance dropped invitingly to Munetsi whose powerful volley from 15 yards was palmed upwards by Bart Verbruggen and the ball dropped over the line off the unfortunate goalkeeper’s other hand.

Yankuba Minteh hurdles Andre's challenge. 📷 James Boardman

Verbruggen produced a great tip-over to keep out Ladislav Krejci’s powerful header before Albion responded and when Jackson Tchatchoua left a back pass short, Gruda slid in to challenge Johnstone but the ball went into side netting.

Minteh made another great run deep into the Wolves’ box before losing control at the crucial moment then he was inches away from getting a touch on Diego Gomez’s excellent ball in from the right. By the end of a frustrating first half, Lewis Dunk, Wieffer and Danny Welbeck had also been booked.

Lewis Dunk tussles with Jhon Arias. 📷 James Boardman

Georginio Rutter replaced Baleba at the break with Gomez moving into central midfield

Wolves had a great chance to double their lead ten minutes into the second half but Jhon Arias blazed over from six yards after Hugo Bueno picked him out from the left. Moments later Albion created their best chance so far. Minteh crossed early and Rutter’s right-foot shot was heading for the top corner before Johnstone made a superb one-handed save to deflect it over.

Wolves brought on an extra defender in Emmanuel Agbadou and invited Albion to try and break them down. Hurzeler threw another striker Stefan Tzimas into the mix but it was Wolves who nearly scored again when Strand Larsen’s shot came back off the post with 15 minutes to go.

Ferdi Kadioglu attempts an overhead kick. 📷 James Boardman

With five minutes left Albion got the equaliser they deserved. Minteh’s short corner to De Cuyper caught Wolves napping and the defender’s left-wing cross was met by van Hecke with a thumping header past Johnstone.

Albion: Verbruggen, Wieffer (De Cuyper 69), van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba (Rutter 45), Ayari, Minteh, Gomez (Milner 76), Gruda (Tzimas 69), Welbeck.