Super Eagles right-back Ryan Alebiosu has expressed his frustration after his late handball resulted in a penalty that denied Blackburn Rovers victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the opening game of the 2026-27 English Championship season.
Blackburn appeared on course for an impressive away victory at Molineux after recovering from an early setback to take a 2-1 lead, but Wolves were awarded a stoppage-time penalty following Alebiosu’s handball. Raúl Jiménez converted from the spot to rescue a 2-2 draw for the hosts.
The decisive incident came late in the game when a cross struck Alebiosu’s arm, with referee Farai Hallam pointing to the penalty spot.
The decision proved controversial, with replays and subsequent reaction raising questions over whether the defender was inside the penalty area when the ball made contact with his arm.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Alebiosu admitted he was frustrated by the decision and felt Blackburn had done enough to claim all three points.
“Obviously frustrated, the decision going against us. The boys did everything they could to get three points and just final things at the end. It's frustrating," he said has quoted by BBC Sport.
Reflecting specifically on the penalty incident, Alebiosu explained that he believed he was outside the area when the ball struck him.
“The ball has just been played and I thought I was outside of the box. Obviously the decision came against us and it's just frustrating to be honest," he revealed.
Despite the disappointing conclusion, the Super Eagles defender praised Blackburn’s overall performance against a Wolves side that had been relegated from the Premier League.
Alebiosu said Blackburn’s players had given everything throughout the encounter and believed they deserved to leave Molineux with maximum points.
“We dug deep, we thought we had it. I can't fault anyone. Everyone put in a shift. Everyone did everything they could have. I'm proud of everyone," he stated.
The defender also backed Blackburn to have a strong campaign if they can reproduce the level of performance they showed against Wolves.
“Just the final details. The boys deserved the three points. If we play like that every week, I'm sure we will go far in the table," he added.
Blackburn had fallen behind to Marshall Munetsi's goal before Sean McLoughlin equalised and Andri Gudjohnsen put the visitors ahead early in the second half. Jiménez’s late penalty ultimately ensured the points were shared.
Despite losing the victory in dramatic circumstances, Alebiosu viewed the performance positively.
“Playing against a big Wolves team that just came down from the Premier League, it was a great result," he said.
He concluded by expressing confidence in Blackburn’s prospects, adding, “Playing week in, week out like that, I'm sure we'll do just fine.”
Wale Adejumo
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