Spurs' Champions League hopes take blow as Wolves win five-goal thriller

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:16 am

Wolves closed the gap on Chelsea to just three points in the chase for Champions League football as they came from behind twice to beat Tottenham 3-2.

Tottenham, who were missing Toby Alderweireld and Hugo Lloris, remain five points behind Chelsea but drop to seventh after a second consecutive Premier League defeat and a third in a row in all competitions.

Jose Mourinho, who is without Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min because of injury, started Dele Alli in attack and the move looked to have paid off when Steven Bergwijn scored from close range after Alli's effort was saved by Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio on 13 minutes.

Raul Jimenez of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring his team's third goal
Raul Jimenez of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring his team's third goal
Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images

Wolves equalised on 27 minutes after a defensive error by Spurs' Japhet Tanganga allowed Matt Doherty to capitalise, but Serge Aurier put Spurs back in front just before half-time when he cut in from the right and shooting into the far corner.

Diogo Jota had Wolves back on level terms again on 57 minutes after he tapped in from Doherty's low right-wing cross and the away side went ahead for the first time on 73 minutes when Raul Jimenez beat Paulo Gazzaniga following a pass from Jota.

"The players didn't deserve the defeat," Mourinho said after the game. "We were punished by, I would say, mentality mistakes. You have to be ruthless against teams like Wolves that plays fantastically well on the counter-attack."