Yerry Mina’s 99th-minute equaliser has rescued a potentially crucial point for Everton, as they drew 1-1 against Wolverhampton Wanderers this afternoon.
Hwang Hee-chan’s first-half strike looked like it would be enough for Wolves to claim a fifth straight Premier League home win without conceding, but with the last attack of the match, Mina was able to steer home from close range, sparking jubilant scenes in the away end.
With their three fellow relegation rivals still to play this weekend though, the Toffees remain just two points clear of safety.
After an excellent run of form at Molineux, Wolves will be disappointed to drop two points in such dramatic circumstances in their final home game of the season.
Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui made six changes from the side that were beaten at Old Trafford last weekend, but it was the visitors who were on top for the opening half hour.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin showed early promise and Everton’s frontman flashed an effort wide inside the opening five minutes, with some in the away section believing it had gone in as it rippled the side netting.
Everton’s two best chances in the opening 45 minutes came within 60 seconds of each other, and both came via the head of Calvert-Lewin.
After dangerous deliveries from Abdoulaye Doucoure and Alex Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin got above his marker, but on both occasions he failed to divert the efforts on target.
Despite having plenty of territorial advantage and a fair number of set-piece opportunities, Everton were done on the counter attack, when Hwang was on hand to tap in from a rebound after Adama Traore’s effort was palmed out by Jordan Pickford.
The goal left the visitors shell-shocked as Wolves took a stronghold in the game for the remaining 10 minutes of the first half, as injuries to Calvert-Lewin and Nathan Patterson forced Sean Dyche into making two substitutions and a change of shape.
Everton’s profligacy in front of goal was evident again in the second half, when some great wing play by Demarai Gray against Toti allowed him to play a brilliant square ball across the six-yard box, but nobody in a blue shirt was on hand to take the chance.
Wolves would then be presented with a flurry of chances almost instantly in a spell which should have seen Lopetegui’s side confirm victory.
Pablo Sarabia was unable to bend his effort in the far corner after some direct running by Traore created the chance, before Nelson Semedo’s under-lapping run presented the full-back with an opportunity which he failed to steer on target.
Daniel Podence also could not trouble Pickford with a side-footed volley that flashed wide of the right-hand post, as Traore continued to cause chaos for the Everton backline, including an uncomfortable Michael Keane who was forced to fill in at right-back.
The final half an hour of the game was being managed quite comfortably by the hosts, as Calvert-Lewin’s injury eradicated much of Everton’s threat in the final third.
Neal Maupay’s introduction off the bench did little to change that, as the Frenchman’s acrobatic effort did not trouble Daniel Bentley in the Wolves net.
With Everton seemingly showing little threat, there were still opportunities on the break for Wolves, and Matheus Nunes was denied by the feet of Pickford during nine minutes of stoppage time.
However, that saved proved to be important, because during that lengthy amount of added time, Everton were able to find a dramatic late leveller, as a high-swinging cross was flapped at by Bentley, leaving the goal gaping for Mina to prod home.
There was no time left for a response by Wolves, as Everton were more than happy to see the game out after snatching a point from the jaws of defeat.
Wolves remain 13th, and have failed to move level on points with Chelsea having only drawn their final home game of the season.
Despite being deep in relegation trouble after returning from the World Cup break, Wolves can be satisfied with a strong second half of the season though, which has long put relegation fears to bed.
The same can still not be said about Everton though, as wins for either Leeds United or Leicester City later this weekend will still see the Toffees start the final day of the season in the relegation zone, where they will face Bournemouth at Goodison Park.
