Raul Jimenez penalty miss punished as Wolves crash out of Europa League

Wolves’ Europa League dreams are over after Sevilla punished Raul Jimenez’s early penalty miss to set-up a semi-final clash with Manchester United.

This continental campaign has been as long as it has been memorable for the West Midlands club, having gone from the second qualifying round to their first European quarter-final in 48 years.

But Wolves’ 59th match of the season proved a step too far, with Lucas Ocampos heading home at the death to secure Europa League experts Sevilla a 1-0 win and semi-final clash against United this Sunday.

As if the late defeat was not galling enough for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, Jimenez missing his first spot-kick for the club at just wrong time added to the heartbreak.

Adama Traore’s superb slaloming run from his own half drew a penalty that goalkeeper Yassine Bounou easily saved in the 13th minute, with Sevilla dominating the remainder of the one-legged quarter-final in Duisburg.

Nuno’s men had to dig deep to keep Julen Lopetegui’s in-form side at bay, but their resistance was broken two minutes from time as Ocampos gave the five-time champions a shot at another final.

Wolves’ wounds will take a while to heal but nobody will forget this European journey, having gone from Northern Ireland to Germany via Armenia, Italy, Turkey, Slovakia, Portugal, Spain and Greece.

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