Justin Kluivert’s penalty hat-trick for Bournemouth halts Wolves resurgence

Andoni Iraola considered stopping Justin Kluivert taking his history-making third penalty in their remarkable win at Wolves. Kluivert became the first player to score a hat-trick of penalties in the competition as Bournemouth ran riot in a crazy game that featured four goals in the first 18 minutes.

Two of those were Kluivert spot-kicks. After Jørgen Strand Larsen’s second goal for Wolves brought it back to 3-2 in the second half, the Bournemouth forward completed his rare treble to wrap up the points. But Iraola had doubts whether he should have stepped up.

“I don’t remember it happening before, it has to be difficult, especially the last one,” the Bournemouth manager said. “I was not completely sure I should allow him to take the third one.

“It is difficult I suppose, every time you shoot the first one, you give information to the keeper. You have been preparing in the week, he has had two different approaches in the first two, I was not fully sure in the third one on what he was going to do but he has been very, very good.”

Bournemouth struck first, having been awarded a penalty after 56 seconds when Toti brought down Evanilson, with Kluivert ­striking home from the spot.

Wolves’ response was swift and they levelled in the fifth minute when Strand Larsen planted a powerful header into the corner from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s cross. The visitors restored their lead in the eighth minute when a sweeping move from right to left ended with Milos Kerkez firing in.

They continued to threaten and a third goal seemed inevitable. It came via another penalty after the video assistant referee intervened. Evanilson nicked the ball off José Sá’s toes and the goalkeeper’s follow-through caught the striker. Peter Bankes did not award a foul but changed his mind after seeing the incident on the pitchside monitor. Kluivert coolly converted again.

Wolves were up in arms as they had two penalty appeals of their own waved away. First, Matheus Cunha felt he was pushed in an aerial challenge before Rodrigo Gomes appeared to be sandwiched.

There were ugly scenes at half-time as Sá went to approach fans who were giving him abuse, but was pulled away by stewards, with the ­supporters in question ejected.

Wolves gave themselves hope in the 69th minute when Strand Larsen grabbed his second after being played in by Gonçalo Guedes. But the hosts again shot themselves in the foot, with Sá receiving a bad pass by Craig Dawson and clattering into Evanilson. Kluivert again did the business from the spot.

Gary O’Neil said Sá had his backing over the half-time confrontation. The Wolves manager, who faced chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning”, did not see the incident but said: “Situations like this we’re in, as I say, has heightened emotions and responses. José Sá has my full support, whatever he needs from me he will get.

“We have just gone four unbeaten in the Premier League against some tough opposition. So we’ve had a bad day today, but it’s important not to overreact to a game that got away from us very, very early, and especially when we have two more big games coming in the next 10 days.”