WOLVES manager Bruno Lage twice labelled Saints a “strong team” as he revealed pride for his players after they picked up a first win of the Premier League season. The Black Country side climbed out of the relegation zone with three points thanks to Daniel Podence’s solitary goal right on the strike of half-time. Che Adams should have equalised in the second-half but handballed while scoring and then hit the crossbar with successive headed chances. Lage, whose team had drawn three and suffered two defeats in their opening five matches, endured a difficult summer with as many as seven first-team players leaving.
Bruno Lage said: “I am so proud of the work that we are doing. In the last two weeks we changed our squad completely. Today I can be happy with both the performance and the result. Every victory is important but more important is the good signals the team has given us. First half was very good from our side, especially against a strong team. We did the perfect first half to control everything. We pressed high, but in the same way we controlled the aerial duels and the second balls. Our goal comes from a good situation. We prepared a little bit with the players so that when we have the ball in offensive transition we can find those crosses in front of their defenders. I am very happy with that. The second half was a little bit more balanced. They are a strong team and they are very good in the duels. They had one or two good chances to score, but when I look at what we did in the full game we deserved this victory.”
Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl had been open about this defeat “hurting” more than most, as the Austrian felt his side deserved points but for one situation – the opener.
