Wolves held to a 1-1 draw by Portsmouth at Molineux

It was a night of mixed emotions at Molineux on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Wolverhampton Wanderers, fresh from a disappointing run of games, thought they had nudged the win button when substitute Jordan James thumped in a low drive in the 62nd minute. The celebrations, however, were short‑lived. Portsmouth’s right‑back Terry Devlin popped up on a free‑kick, chested the ball and volleyed it home in the 86th minute to level the score.

The first half was, frankly, a bit of a snooze‑fest. Wolves’ Brazilian midfielder Andre was the lone spark, launching a 25‑yard effort that curled just wide after beating Munetsi to block Mane’s cross. Portsmouth’s best chance came in the 36th minute when a deep free‑kick from Adrian Segecic found Nasser Djiga, whose header was saved, and Ebou Adams, whose angled strike was blocked. The home side’s Rocco Shein slotted a low shot that drifted a few feet wide.

Halftime saw a double substitution from the Wolves bench – Tawanda Chirewa and Jordan James came on for Sean Neave and Munetsi. The change injected a burst of energy. Within ten minutes, James linked up with Fer Lopez, exchanged a quick one‑two and rattled a fierce low finish into the near‑post, giving the hosts a 1‑0 lead.

Portsmouth, though, refused to roll over. They pressed, and after a corner from Marezi was headed clear, Devlin flicked the ball onto his chest, turned and unleashed a volley that flew into the top corner. The stadium fell silent for a heartbeat before the Pompey fans erupted – a point earned at the very last gasp.

Wolves threw everything at the final whistle. Chirewa’s late run saw him fire a tight‑angled effort that clipped the bar, while Mane and Lopez each had opportunities that went wide. The home side’s defenders were left scrambling as the clock ticked down, and the match ended in a 1‑1 stalemate.

Tempers flared after the final whistle. Wolves manager César Peixoto and Portsmouth boss John Mousinho exchanged a few heated words before officials pulled them apart. Peixoto lamented his side’s lack of courage in the first half and admitted the result felt “unfair”. Mousinho, on the other hand, praised his team’s resilience, noting they had done a good job of limiting the bigger club’s chances.

In the end, both teams walked away with a lesson. Wolves will need to find that missing bite early on if they hope to turn their season around, while Portsmouth can take heart from a gritty performance that earned them a valuable point away from home.