Fulham 3-2 Wolves: Willian’s contentious 94th-minute penalty ends Cottagers’ winless run after visitors had twice equalised with THREE spot-kicks scored

If the decision remains the same over the course of a season, Wolves will end up with a plethora of players that will work out in their favor.

Another game and at least one, not two, questionable penalties against Gary O’Neil’s side.

And the end result was Wolves left behind as the team felt aggrieved after finishing with less than what they perhaps deserved.

Against Manchester United, Luton, Newcastle and Sheffield United, Wolves found themselves on the wrong side of the penalty.

The result, as O’Neil noted after three of those occasions, was that the referee in question was ultimately demoted to the Championship for their next match.

All eyes will be on what happens next to Michael Salisbury after he became the latest official to risk O’Neil’s wrath.

Firstly, he punished Nelson Semedo for bringing down Tom Cairney, even though the Wolves man appeared to win the ball first.

The long VAR check was an indication that the decision was far from clear, but the award stood and Willian scored to put Fulham 2–1.

Then, after a penalty of his own, which Hwang Hee-Chan took to seemingly give Wolves a point, Harry Wilson tumbled to the ground after a gentle challenge from Joao Gomes and Salisbury awarded a second penalty against Wolves.

This was in stoppage time and Willian buried it again. And on this occasion there was no time for another Wolves reply as Fulham celebrated a much-needed first win since early October.

They were booed at half-time, but the atmosphere in Craven Cottage was very different at full-time.

And certainly in stark contrast to O’Neil’s. He had a face like thunder as he walked off the pitch, almost emphatically blanking the referees as he walked past them and headed for the tunnel.

Fulham’s previous lack of form – four games without a league win – was not evident in the way they started the match.

Raul Jimenez almost made a dream start to his first meeting against his old club. Within the first 40 seconds, Andreas Pereira found him unmarked with a low cross into the center of the goal, but Jimenez botched his back-heel attempt.

Forget it. Alex Iwobi showed him how to do it not long after. Willian and Antonee Robinson combined on the left and Iwobi adjusted his body and feet impressively to guide Fulham’s opener through the legs of Jose Sa.

Sa’s target was briefly besieged. Jimenez had kept out an attempt from a narrow angle.

From the corner following the end of Wolves’ scare, Tom Cairney’s thumping effort flew through a mass of bodies, but not Sa’s as he remained steadfast.

It wasn’t until the 14th minute that Wolves threatened for the first time. Mario Lemina pounced on a misplaced pass from Harrison Reed – in place of the suspended Joao Palhinha – and immediately sent Hwang Hee Chan away.

His pace took him clear and his curling shot beat Bernd Leno but did not drop enough and hit the crossbar on its way to the other side.

Wolves were warming up and equalized with their next attack. It was a neat move that they put together from back to front, working the ball wide of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

He looked like a potential source of joy in the opening stages and so it proved. He turned and rounded Robinson before firing the ball to the back post, where Matheus Cunha was waiting to head home.

Wolves looked the most likely scorer of the third goal of the match. Matt Doherty, who replaced the injured Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Hwang failed to make the most of promising crossing positions. Iwobi and Timothy Castagne were also both forced into desperate defense. Leno was then given a let-off when he tried to overcomplicate dealing with a back pass, but Fulham managed to scramble the ball clear.

The dangerous moments initially continued for the visitors, with Castagne and Leno both pushing into last-ditch action to keep Wolves at bay.

And then came the controversial penalty, which WIllian converted after a long delay while the decision was being scrutinized.

Given what Wolves had been through previously, O’Neil’s frustration would have been obvious.

At least there was some punishment for Wolves to improve his mood. Calvin Bassey’s header went towards rather than away from his own goal.

Hwang was the quickest to grab it and stormed past Tim Ream who brought it himself.

This time there was much quicker control and Hwang fired his penalty past Leno to bring Wolves back on level terms.

Wolves pressed for a winner and Doherty burst into the penalty area causing panic but was thwarted by Leno.

But the final word ultimately belonged to Willian, after more frustration over the penalties for Wolves.