Luciano Becchio ensured new-look Leeds United started the season with a win as Wolves suffered a deflating return to the Championship at Elland Road.

Argentine Becchio, 28, settled the game when he headed the only goal in the 17th minute following an inch-perfect cross by Ross McCormack.

Wolves were fortunate not to suffer a heavier defeat against dominant Leeds.

Debutant Rodolph Austin had an effort cleared off the line while McCormack also went close to scoring.

Opening day gloom for Wolves

Having won on the opening day for the past two seasons, this was Wolves' first away defeat on the first day since they lost 2-1 at Stoke on 8 August 2004.

Wolves were relegated from the Premier League after winning just five games last season, and only one of their last 24.

And new manager Stale Solbakken faces a huge task to get them back there if the Black Country club's first match in the second tier for more than three years is anything to go by.

Wolves were tepid in the first half and although they improved after half-time, they lacked the cutting edge to hurt an impressive Leeds side.

After a busy summer in the transfer market, the hosts' starting XI featured eight players making their league debuts for the club, but Neil Warnock's side played as though they had been together for more than just a few weeks.

Wolves needed to show they had the appetite for a fight but their defensive failings from last season resurfaced as early as the 17th minute.

Austin had already seen an effort hacked off the line while McCormack, who signed a new three-year contract on the eve of the season, had missed another chance by the time Becchio launched his fifth season at Elland Road by heading home from close range.

Becchio stooped low to meet a cross from the outstanding McCormack following a long punt forward by keeper Paddy Kenny.

With Sunderland target Steven Fletcher out with a damaged ankle, the visitors offered little in attacking threat as Leeds, playing against the backdrop of takeover talks, opened the campaign in determined fashion.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Kevin Doyle were starved of service as captain Lee Peltier and Jason Pearce marshalled the home defence.

Indeed, the only negative for Warnock in the first half was the sight of Paul Green going off injured, his departure paving the way for El-Hadji Diouf to make a league debut for his 10th club.

Wolves improved in the second half, substitute Slawomir Peszko cutting in from the left to meet the ball with a swinging left foot.

But his effort cleared the bar before Matt Jarvis fired across the face of goal on a frustrating day for the visitors.

Leeds manager Neil Warnock:

"They [my players] deserve a lot of credit. We have a few niggles around the place and when you looked at our players and theirs, we were half the size of them, so we've done well.

"You have to do what we did today. The Championship is a different league to the top level. The players loved the atmosphere and playing in front of a big crowd. That was something I didn't think we had about us last year."

Wolves manager Stale Solbakken:

"The only way you can change it [the mentality] is to win that first game and get that winning feeling.

"You can say that you can work hard blah, blah, blah, but you have to win that first game. Today was a fair result, there were not many chances in the game. Leeds protected their penalty area well when they went in front. I have no complaints.

"We are trying to find a winning formula. The team lost many games last season, maybe one win in 26 or 27. But now we have two home games and maybe we can get it then."

Catch up with all the latest highlights from the Championship on the Football League Show

Lineup, Bookings (6) & Substitutions (5)

Leeds United

  • 01 Kenny
  • 02 Peltier
  • 05 Pearce
  • 07 Green (Diouf - 45' )
  • 08 Austin
  • 11 Varney Booked
  • 14 White Booked
  • 19 Norris
  • 25 Bryam Booked
  • 10 Becchio Booked
  • 44 McCormack (Lees - 75' )

Substitutes

  • 12 Ashdown
  • 03 Drury
  • 04 Lees
  • 06 Kisnorbo
  • 17 Brown
  • 20 Gray
  • 21 Diouf

Wolverhampton Wanderers

  • 13 Ikeme
  • 05 Stearman (Edwards - 82' )
  • 11 Ward
  • 14 Johnson
  • 23 Zubar
  • 08 Henry
  • 17 Jarvis
  • 27 Forde (Peszko - 46' Booked )
  • 28 Doumbia Booked
  • 09 Ebanks-Blake (Sigurdarson - 69' )
  • 29 Doyle

Substitutes

  • 31 De Vries
  • 16 Berra
  • 04 Edwards
  • 07 Peszko
  • 12 Hunt
  • 26 Davis
  • 15 Sigurdarson
Ref: Bates
Att: 23,745

Match Stats

Shots

12 6

On target

7 1

Corners

8 8

Fouls

10 16

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:16 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +4:17

Shot from inside the area by Bjorn Sigurdarson clears the bar.

90:00 +2:46

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Slawomir Peszko by Luciano Becchio. Carl Ikeme takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +2:26

Short corner taken by El-Hadji Diouf from the left by-line.

90:00 +1:59

Unfair challenge on El-Hadji Diouf by Roger Johnson results in a free kick. El-Hadji Diouf restarts play with the free kick.

90:00 +1:15

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Rodolph Austin by Roger Johnson. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

89:52

Corner taken by Stephen Ward, Foul by Ronald Zubar on Tom Lees, free kick awarded. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.

89:19

Outswinging corner taken by Matthew Jarvis, clearance made by El-Hadji Diouf.

88:28

El-Hadji Diouf delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, save made by Carl Ikeme.

88:28 Booking

Booking Caution for Slawomir Peszko.

88:11

Foul by Slawomir Peszko on Aidan White, free kick awarded.

87:21

Samuel Bryam has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the target.

86:03

Matthew Jarvis has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.

84:58

The referee blows for offside. Roger Johnson restarts play with the free kick.

84:24

Slawomir Peszko challenges Rodolph Austin unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

82:59

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by El-Hadji Diouf, save by Carl Ikeme.

82:31

Short corner taken by El-Hadji Diouf from the right by-line.

81:51 Substitution

Substitution David Edwards replaces Richard Stearman.

81:03

El-Hadji Diouf delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, save made by Carl Ikeme.

81:03 Booking

Booking Tongo Doumbia goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

80:58

Tongo Doumbia concedes a free kick for a foul on El-Hadji Diouf.

77:47

Effort from the edge of the area by Matthew Jarvis goes wide of the right-hand upright.

75:42

The assistant referee flags for offside against Slawomir Peszko. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.

74:41 Substitution

Substitution Tom Lees joins the action as a substitute, replacing Ross McCormack.

74:24

Headed effort on goal by Slawomir Peszko from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.

74:04

Shot by Luciano Becchio. Save by Carl Ikeme.

72:47

Stephen Ward takes the free kick.

72:47 Booking

Booking Booking for Luciano Becchio for unsporting behaviour.

72:29

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Richard Stearman by Luciano Becchio.

71:16

Direct free kick taken by Roger Johnson.

71:16 Booking

Booking Luke Varney booked.

71:11

Luke Varney concedes a free kick for a foul on Richard Stearman.

70:08

Effort on goal by Slawomir Peszko from just inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

69:26

Corner taken by Matthew Jarvis played to the near post, clearance made by Luke Varney.

68:18

Free kick taken by Stephen Ward.

68:18 Substitution

Substitution Bjorn Sigurdarson comes on in place of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

68:18 Booking

Booking Samuel Bryam is given a yellow card.

67:53

Matthew Jarvis fouled by Samuel Bryam, the ref awards a free kick.

65:43

Corner taken by Stephen Ward from the right by-line played to the near post, save by Patrick Kenny.

64:05

Stephen Ward takes the direct free kick.

64:05 Booking

Booking Aidan White goes into the book.

63:56

Foul by Aidan White on Matthew Jarvis, free kick awarded.

61:11

Corner taken right-footed by El-Hadji Diouf, Rodolph Austin takes a shot. Save by Carl Ikeme.

60:56

Effort from 18 yards by Luke Varney. Blocked by Richard Stearman.

60:01

The assistant referee flags for offside against Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.

59:33

The referee blows for offside. Carl Ikeme takes the indirect free kick.

58:58

Foul by Matthew Jarvis on El-Hadji Diouf, free kick awarded. Ross McCormack takes the direct free kick.

57:13

Karl Henry concedes a free kick for a foul on Ross McCormack. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Lee Peltier, save made by Carl Ikeme.

55:31

Ronald Zubar gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Luke Varney. Ross McCormack takes the free kick.

54:26

Free kick awarded for a foul by Aidan White on Slawomir Peszko. Ronald Zubar restarts play with the free kick.

50:43

Foul by David Norris on Kevin Doyle, free kick awarded. Roger Johnson restarts play with the free kick.

49:00

Effort on goal by Ross McCormack from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.

47:34

Floated corner taken by Ross McCormack from the right by-line.

46:10

Corner taken right-footed by Ross McCormack from the left by-line, Richard Stearman makes a clearance.

45:47

Rodolph Austin has a drilled shot. Blocked by Roger Johnson.

45:01

The second half kicks off.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Slawomir Peszko replaces Anthony Forde.

45:00 +2:19 Half time

Half Time The half-time whistle blows.

45:00 +1:20

Effort on goal by Ross McCormack from 12 yards. Blocked by Roger Johnson.

45:00 +0:41

Tongo Doumbia gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on El-Hadji Diouf. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

44:11 Substitution

Substitution El-Hadji Diouf is brought on as a substitute for Paul Green.

43:08

Unfair challenge on Stephen Ward by Ross McCormack results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Stephen Ward.

41:25

Unfair challenge on Aidan White by Karl Henry results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Jason Pearce.

41:25

Aidan White fouled by Karl Henry, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jason Pearce.

39:11

Matthew Jarvis concedes a free kick for a foul on Samuel Bryam. Patrick Kenny takes the direct free kick.

34:40

Unfair challenge on Kevin Doyle by David Norris results in a free kick. Matthew Jarvis delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, save by Patrick Kenny.

33:48

Kevin Doyle is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.

25:08

The ball is sent over by Matthew Jarvis.

23:06

Richard Stearman challenges Luciano Becchio unfairly and gives away a free kick. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.

21:29

Corner taken right-footed by Matthew Jarvis from the left by-line, Samuel Bryam manages to make a clearance.

21:01

The offside flag is raised against Luciano Becchio. Indirect free kick taken by Carl Ikeme.

19:09

Matthew Jarvis crosses the ball.

16:32

The assist for the goal came from Ross McCormack.

16:32 Goal scored

Goal - Luciano Becchio - Leeds 1 - 0 Wolves Luciano Becchio scores a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Leeds 1-0 Wolverhampton.

15:59

Ross McCormack takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Kevin Doyle.

13:59

Inswinging corner taken by Matthew Jarvis, Richard Stearman takes a shot. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is penalised for a handball. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick. Blocked by Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

13:59

Inswinging corner taken by Matthew Jarvis from the left by-line, Richard Stearman takes a shot. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake gets a block in.

12:34

Matthew Jarvis takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance made by Luke Varney.

10:35

Ross McCormack has an effort at goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.

9:49

Ross McCormack concedes a free kick for a foul on Karl Henry. Free kick crossed right-footed by Matthew Jarvis, save made by Patrick Kenny.

8:28

Corner taken right-footed by Ross McCormack, Rodolph Austin takes a shot. Save by Carl Ikeme. Effort on goal by Samuel Bryam from inside the box misses to the right of the target.

6:20

Foul by Stephen Ward on Ross McCormack, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Ross McCormack.

5:36

Effort from inside the area by Luke Varney misses to the right of the goal.

3:51

Richard Stearman gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Luciano Becchio. Free kick crossed right-footed by Ross McCormack, Carl Ikeme makes a comfortable save.

2:49

Unfair challenge on Paul Green by Sylvan Ebanks-Blake results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

1:05

Inswinging corner taken by Stephen Ward.

0:00

The referee gets the match started.

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