Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta looks dejected after Wolverhampton Wanderers' first goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
(Reuters) - - Diogo Jota scored his first Premier League goal as Wolverhampton Wanderers came from behind to stun title hopefuls Chelsea 2-1 at Molineux on Wednesday.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek gave the visitors a halftime lead but two goals in four minutes from Raul Jimenez and Jota turned the match in favour of the hosts, who claimed their first win in two months.
Chelsea trail league leaders Manchester City by 10 points and host Pep Guardiola’s side on Saturday, while Wolves climbed to 12th after ending their horror run of form.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Diogo Jota scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
"It was a good performance, even in the first half when we were behind," Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo said.
"They (Chelsea) have enormous quality and (Maurizio) Sarri’s possession game is very hard to counter. But the boys did that and stayed in the game.
"The win was important, we have been showing this form for a long time. Playing Chelsea and coming from behind ... it is a great credit to the players, but you have to stay balanced." Chelsea went ahead on 18 minutes when Loftus-Cheek scored for the second match in a row, his shot from outside the box deflected into the Wolves goal by the head of home captain Conor Coady.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers players celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
The visitors had a strong call for a penalty turned down minutes after halftime when Alvaro Morata was clattered from behind as he seemed destined to score but it was the home side who found the back of the net on the hour-mark.
The impressive Morgan Gibbs-White fed Jimenez, who had a lot to do from a tight angle but drilled the ball past Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Four minutes later the home side were ahead when Matt Doherty provided a low cross that was tapped in at the back post by Jota.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Romain Saiss celebrates with manager Nuno Espirito Santo (R) after the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
"I think we played very well for 55 minutes," Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said.
"After the first goal, which was an accident because we were in full control of the match, we were suddenly a different team, I don’t know why.
"I am really very worried, not about the result but for the fact we didn’t respond to the first goal."
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ivan Cavaleiro shakes hands with Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Sarri also refused to blame the penalty incident involving Morata on his side's defeat.
"I don’t know about that, but we could have scored four or five goals and we missed them," he said.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Leander Dendoncker with Chelsea's Eden Hazard after the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
(Reporting by Nick Said,; Editing by Toby Davis and Ed Osmond)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo celebrates after the match REUTERS/Eddie Keogh Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta applauds the fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers players and manager Nuno Espirito Santo celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo Action Images via Reuters/Andrew BoyersSoccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola before the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 5, 2018 Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
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