Wolves' Cunha punishes struggling Forest with brace in 2-2 draw

Matheus Cunha scored twice for Wolverhampton Wanderers in his first start in two months as relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest let a second-half lead slip in their 2-2 Premier League draw at the City Ground on Saturday.

Cunha gave Wolves a first half lead with a superb solo goal, before the excellent Morgan Gibbs-White equalised on the stroke of half-time and Danilo put Forest in front before the hour mark.

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But a mistake from goalkeeper Matz Sels allowed Cunha to score his second, and while the home side dominated much of the contest through possession and chances, they were unable to find a winner.

Forest, who are appealing a decision to deduct four points from them for breaching Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules, have 26 points from 33 games, one point more than 18th placed Luton Town in the relegation zone. 

"I think we'll all agree that we came off the pitch just now disappointed to have not taken the three points," Gibbs-White said. "Again we have gone up in a game and we've conceded. We have to reflect on what happened, a point is still a point but we are disappointed not to take all three."

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

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Former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo, now in charge at Forest, will be disappointed with his side's defending and inability to turn their incessant pressure into goals in what he will see as two points dropped.

Injury-hit Wolves remain 11th with 43 points from 32 games, and to their credit kept battling for something from the game, though this result likely ends their hopes of earning a place in European competition next season.

Woeful Forest defending as they attempted to play out from the back forced Murillo to head off the line from João Gomes' shot and with the goal gaping, Pablo Sarabia put the rebound wide.

But Wolves did take the lead five minutes before half-time thanks to a fantastic goal from Cunha.

He picked up the ball on the halfway line and looked to have nothing on until he turned Forest defender Andrew Omobamidele and curled a wonderful shot into the far corner of the net.

That joy was short-lived as Gibbs-White equalised when he glanced in a header from Gio Reyna's corner, though goalkeeper José Sá will feel he should have done better.

Forest were rewarded for their dominance in the opening stages of the second half with a scrappy goal on 57 minutes. The visitors had several chances to clear the ball but it fell kindly for Danilo to finish from eight yards.

Wolves' equaliser was also down to poor defending. Sels chose to punch a header when he should have caught the ball and as it rebounded off his own defender, it fell kindly for Cunha to poke home from close range.

"I think a draw is probably a fair outcome," Wolves manager Gary O'Neil told BBC. "They had more shots and territory, we had more of the ball. Probably a fair result, but I am guessing Forest will be disappointed.

"They had some late pressure without troubling José Sá too much."