Neves stunner pushes Wolves close to Premier League return

Midfielders scores from 30 yards in team’s 2-0 win over Derby County

LONDON: Ruben Neves's 30-yard wonder-strike was the highlight of Wolverhampton Wanderers' 2-0 win at home to Derby County on Wednesday, a result that left the Championship leaders on the cusp of promotion to the Premier League.

Wolves now need just two more points to assure themselves of a return to the lucrative English top flight — something they will achieve if they beat Midlands rivals Birmingham City on Sunday.

But if other results go their way, Wolves could have their promotion confirmed, and a six-year absence from England's top division ended, before they next kick a ball in anger at their Molineux ground.

Defeat left Derby fifth and in the play-off places, with only the top two teams at the end of the regular season guaranteed a Premier League place next term.

Diogo Jota opened the scoring at a rain-swept Molineux as early as the sixth minute.

Wolves' top-scorer this season struck his 16th goal of the campaign after turning and shooting past Derby keeper Scott Carson following a superb 40-yard through ball from Willy Boly.

Neves doubled Wolves's lead six minutes after half-time with a stunning volley from 30 yards that flew past the outstretched right hand of former England keeper Carson and into the top corner.

Derby cleared a corner and the ball came to Neves, who deliberately flicked the ball up and then let fly with a dipping volley — his sixth goal from outside the area this season.

"I took risks but I'm happy for the team," said Neves. "It's not about my goal, it's about all our work. It's not done, we have four games to go and we need to do well to achieve our goals. It was a good goal."

Wolves captain Conor Coady, reflecting on Neves's goal, added: "He does it every day in training, it's ridiculous. He talks about the team but he's the incredible one. He's a pleasure to have, he really is. He's a little magician. We want to keep on winning that's what we've done all season. It's about winning games. We're looking forward to Sunday and it's about driving on."

It was the second time in as many matches that Neves had scored from long range after his 25-yard curling free-kick secured a 1-0 win over promotion rivals Cardiff City last week — a game where Wolves survived two stoppage-time penalties to cling onto victory.