Super Eagles favourite Alebiosu laments controversial penalty in tense season-opener

Super Eagles right-back Ryan Alebiosu has expressed his frustration after a late handball decision denied Blackburn Rovers victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in their opening Championship game of the 2026/27 season.

The Nigerian defender believed he was outside the penalty area when the ball struck his arm as Blackburn were closing in on an impressive away win.

Blackburn appeared set to leave Molineux with all three points after recovering from an early setback to take a 2-1 lead against Wolves, who were relegated from the Premier League last season.

However, their advantage disappeared in stoppage time when referee Farai Hallam awarded Wolves a penalty after a cross struck Alebiosu's arm. Raúl Jiménez stepped up and converted from the spot to rescue a 2-2 draw for the hosts.

The decision sparked controversy, with replays prompting questions over whether Alebiosu was inside the penalty area when the ball made contact with his arm. Speaking to Sky Sports, as quoted by BBC Sport, the Super Eagles defender admitted his disappointment.

"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," Alebiosu said.

Explaining his view of the incident, he added: "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."

Despite the dramatic ending, Alebiosu was proud of Blackburn's overall performance against the former Premier League side. The defender praised his teammates for battling throughout the contest and insisted they deserved 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 said.

Blackburn initially fell behind to Marshall Munetsi's opener before Sean McLoughlin restored parity. Andri Gudjohnsen then put the visitors ahead early in the second half, only for Jiménez's late penalty to secure a share of the spoils.

Alebiosu believes Blackburn can enjoy a successful campaign if they maintain that level of performance, saying, "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.

Reflecting on the challenge of facing Wolves, he said: "Playing against a big Wolves team that just came down from the Premier League, it was a great result," before concluding, "Playing week in, week out like that, I'm sure we'll do just fine."