Kuqi double earns Owls a valuable point

A suprise double strike from out of form striker Shefki Kuqi helpt the Owls on their way to a credible draw at high-flying Wolverhampton Wanderers, although Wednesday should've perhaps taken all three points from the game. Terry Yorath's men are still on the hunt for their first win of the season, but will have no problems there if they can repeat performances like this week in, week out.

Wednesday had opened the scoring on nine minutes, Kuqi's first of the season, and had held until the 60th minute until Nathan Blake pulled Wolves level. Some might've expected the home side to go on and win the game from there, but a second shock, and a second Shefki Kuqi goal, came just moments later to put the Owls back in front. Sadly that lead was to last only five minutes, as Dean Sturridge pegged Wolves back in the reckoning.

2-2 was how it ended, and the Owls must wonder if only they'd been tighter at the back this would have been a marvellous victory. Instead, it's just the one point. Wednesday moved a couple of places above the relegation zone with this result, but will look to Sunday, and the first Sheffield derby of the season, as their chance to grab that illusive first win of the campaign.

This report from Sporting-Life.com:

Sheffield Wednesday striker Shefki Kuqi scored twice as the Owls held high-flying Wolves to a 2-2 draw at Molineux. The Finland international twice put the struggling Yorkshiremen in front, only for first Nathan Blake and then Dean Sturridge to drag Wolves level in an entertaining encounter.

Kuqi opened the scoring when he drilled home a classy finish after taking a quality throughball from Trond Egil Soltvedt in the eighth minute. Wednesday went into this game second from bottom and on the back of three straight defeats but started the game confidently.

Boss Terry Yorath had been forced into two changes, with Paul McClaren and Soltvedt coming in for Alan Quinn, suspended after his red card at Reading, and the injured Jon Beswetherick but it wasn't long before Soltvedt set up the opener.

Wolves, fresh from three straight victories and with a chance of going top of the table tonight, looked stunned at being behind, and almost hit back immediately. Wednesday defender Ashley Westwood chopped down Sturridge, receiving a yellow card for his troubles, and Lee Naylor stepped up to take the free-kick 30 yards out. The set-piece smashed into the wall but fell nicely for Blake to smash home.

Unfortunately for the Wales international, the referee's assistant had raised his flag for offside. After their sorry recent run, Wednesday had switched to a flat back four, and looked more comfortable with the extra man at the back. Wolves were missing the midfield steel of former England man Paul Ince, who injured his knee in the 4-1 demolition of Derby at Pride Park on Saturday.

As half-time approached Sturridge almost got his side level with a brilliant snap-shot from the edge of the area, but Wednesday hung on to take a shock lead into the break. Dave Jones will have had a few choice words to say to his team at the interval, but still they looked lethargic as the second half began.

Half-time: Wolves 0-1 Owls

Leigh Bromby was causing all sorts of havoc with his long throws, and early in the second half one of his long bombs almost led to a second Wednesday goal. As the ball dropped, Soltvedt showed a cool head to roll the ball out to McClaren on the edge of the area, but his shot whistled wide.

The hosts tried to muster some attacking pressure, but resolute Wednesday defending limited them to a couple of speculative long-range efforts. Just when a touch of frustration was starting to creep in, Blake found a bit of space in the penalty area to climb above Bromby and power in an unstoppable header from a right-wing cross. The stage looked set for Wolves to complete the comeback and achieve that table-topping victory, but the status quo lasted just two minutes before Kuqi put Wednesday ahead again.

Leon Knight picked up the ball on the right wing and saw the big Finn pull off the shoulder of Joleon Lescott. The on-loan Chelsea youngster floated in a perfect cross for the former Stockport striker to power in his second of the night. Within five minutes, the hosts were on terms again.

Lescott, who may have been at fault for Kuqi's second, made amends by putting in a telling cross for Sturridge from the left wing, and the former Leicester striker made no mistake with a well-placed header to restore parity.

In a high octane finish, Wolves pushed hard for that all important winner which would send them to the top of the table, but Wednesday went closest to winning it, Kuqi heading a Craig Armstrong cross over from six yards out in injury time.