Jimenez snatches late draw for Wolves against Blackburn in dramatic Championship opener

[p]Playing in the Championship for the first time in eight years following their relegation from the Premier League last season, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolves/j3Azpf5d/"]Wolves[/a] are hoping for an immediate return to the top flight.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/peixoto-cesar/vemp3pxj/"]Cesar Peixoto[/a]'s first game as Wolves boss was just two minutes away from ending in defeat before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jimenez-raul/ENwqg0Pd/"]Jimenez[/a] converted a stoppage-time penalty at Molineux.[/p][p]Wolves won just three league matches last season in a dismal campaign that fuelled fan protests against Chinese owners Fosun.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="9f540f03-f01f-4455-a6ba-7a58a5a5b5e8" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="712d8064-4809-420e-8d48-6dace65aecad" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Following the surprise decision to hire Peixoto from Portuguese club Gil Vicente to replace Rob Edwards, who was sacked during the close-season, Wolves need a fast start to win back their disgruntled supporters.[/p][p]The early signs were good as the hosts, featuring debutant [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trippier-kieran/GMqWRFGS/"]Kieran Trippier[/a], took the lead in the 18th minute with their first shot of the season.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopez-fernando/QaR2pJJf/"]Fer Lopez[/a] sent a perfect pass behind the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/blackburn/6Nl8nagD/"]Blackburn[/a] defence and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/zimbabwe/APEVkV8h/"]Zimbabwe[/a] midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/munetsi-nyasha/2LonY10K/"]Marshall Munetsi[/a] sprinted clear for a composed finish from the edge of the penalty area.[/p][p]But Tony Mowbray is back in charge of Blackburn for the second time and the experience campaigner watched his side equalise in the 27th minute when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcloughlin-sean/jHpkVB20/"]Sean McLoughlin[/a] cleverly glanced a header past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bentley-daniel/SWSRDdEf/"]Dan Bentley[/a].[/p][p]Wolves were stunned by that blow and there was worse to come in the 48th minute as Blackburn forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gudjohnsen-andri/vLFIyGlj/"]Andri Gudjohnsen[/a] met [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/afolayan-oladapo/E7kAr9I9/"]Dapo Afolayan[/a]'s cross with a close-range finish.[/p][p]However, former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a] star Jimenez came to the rescue in his first appearance of his second spell at Wolves.[/p][embed guid="42264dbe-f798-462d-923a-e3da8f3d53ec" url="https://x.com/Wolves/status/2088369243913912631" social-type="twitter" /][p]Fresh from helping [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a] reach the World Cup last 16, the 35-year-old netted from the spot in the closing seconds after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alebiosu-ryan/SrBLl1cH/"]Ryan Alebiosu[/a] handled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tchatchoua-jackson/6w5hZnnM/"]Jackson Tchatchoua[/a]'s cross.[/p][p]Wolves are second favourites for promotion behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham[/a] and just ahead of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/burnley/z3dmTMMO/"]Burnley[/a], the other clubs that crashed out of the Premier League last term.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/blackburn-6Nl8nagD/wolves-j3Azpf5d/?mid=dQVxcCm3"]See all the stats from the match[/a][/b][/p][h2]Spygate shame[/h2][p]West Ham's status is little surprise, given they kept hold of coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who led Wolves to promotion from the second tier in 2018, and influential [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a] forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bowen-jarrod/pW170H9K/"]Jarrod Bowen[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/celtic/QFKRRD8M/"]The Hammers[/a] start their campaign on Sunday with a trip to Burnley, who are led by new manager Nicky Hayen.[/p][p]Burnley have won promotion from the Championship in each of the past two seasons they played in the division, both times amassing over 100 points.[/p][embed guid="84f31a75-b784-454f-a885-f8063ccc4cf1" url="https://x.com/WestHam/status/2088264629067870297" social-type="twitter" /][p]With the shadow of their spygate shame still hanging over them, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] open at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/watford/UmMRoGzp/"]Watford[/a] on Sunday.[/p][p]Southampton were expelled from last season's Championship play-offs after admitting spying on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/middlesbrough/6F0lvLNC/"]Middlesbrough[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ipswich/thqhB2MB/"]Ipswich[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oxford-utd/vgOBT43c/"]Oxford[/a].[/p][p]Saints boss Tonda Eckert took responsiblity for the scandal, which was exposed when a member of the club's staff was found filming Middlesbrough prior to the first leg of their play-off semi-final.[/p][p]Southampton beat Middlesbrough but were denied a final showdown with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hull-city/S66R0t75/"]Hull[/a] by their expulsion, with the Tigers sealing promotion instead.[/p][p]Eckert was backed by Southampton despite calls for his sacking but the German could face a ban after being charged by the Football Association.[/p][embed guid="a1d23f78-5ff5-4252-a5eb-a224f2fcc9ab" url="https://x.com/SouthamptonFC/status/2088280484128161995" social-type="twitter" /][p]Middlesbrough, beaten by Hull in the play-off final as last-minute replacements for Southampton, start on Saturday against Lincoln, who are in the Championship for the first time since 1961 after winning promotion from League One.[/p]