Fulham's fading hopes of European qualification suffered a terminal blow as they were held to a draw at bottom side Wolves in the Premier League.

Matheus Mane smashed Wolves in front in their final home game before returning to the Championship, following eight years in the top flight.

But Fulham levelled in first-half stoppage time after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) recommended a review when Mane caught Fulham full-back Timothy Castagne as the pair challenged for a looping ball inside the box.

Referee Thomas Kirk awarded the spot kick and Antonee Robinson coolly converted from 12 yards to score his first Premier League goal - and first in any competition since January 2022.

But a run of three games without a win means Marco Silva's side sit 12th and cannot realistically finish in the top eight given they are three points and nine goals worse off than Brentford, with just a game to go.

The visitors began well at Molineux and Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa was forced into action to deny Alex Iwobi, who was left free at the back post to volley Castagne's cross goalwards.

But Wolves grew in the match with Mane drawing a smart save from Fulham keeper Bernd Leno and Rodrigo Gomes flashing a shot just wide.

The goal arrived in the 25th minute as Rodrigo Gomes burst down the right and fired in a low cross.

Hwang Hee-Chan controlled it before setting it back for Mane to thrash in from the edge of the box.

Sander Berge should have levelled moments later but headed into the ground and over after Sa had flapped at a corner but the away side were level at the break.

Mane stretched to reach a ball but only made contact with Castagne as the Fulham defender nipped ahead of him, with Robinson the unlikely scorer from the spot after the VAR review.

Although Fulham dominated possession, Wolves had the best chances in the second half with Yerson Mosquera heading wide from six yards and Adam Armstrong's dink over Leno hitting the outside of the post.

Boos greeted the final whistle after a result that did little to satisfy either side.

After beating Aston Villa at the end of April, Fulham were firmly in the mix not only for European qualification but potentially for a Champions League spot.

They were just two points behind Brighton in sixth but three winless games since have seen dreams of a first season of continental football since 2011-12 evaporate.

A loss at Arsenal was not unexpected, the manner of the defeat by Bournemouth was hugely frustrating but victory at the league's bottom side would have kept Silva's side in the mix going into the final day.

Instead, a disappointing draw highlighted why they have ultimately come up short. There was a lack of cutting edge to convert the chances created in the first half while in the second period they failed to manufacture any opportunities of note despite enjoying the lion's share of the ball.

A huge swing in goal difference and the most unlikely sequence of results would now be needed for Fulham to make the top eight.

More realistically, the focus will instead turn to trying to end the season at home on a high and, with Silva's contract up in the summer and his future still up in the air, perhaps even a rousing send off for the Portuguese boss.

Just one more game and then Wolves can put a truly miserable season behind them.

The energy and enthusiasm that was present after back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Liverpool a couple of months ago has well and truly gone – even the boos at full-time felt weary.

Relegation was an inevitability even back then but Rob Edwards' side were at least showing something to give fans optimism for the future.

But the point against Fulham is just the third since beating Liverpool on 3 March, while Mane's strike was just the second Wolves have scored since the international break over Easter.

They had their moments against Fulham and looked threatening on the break, particularly in the second half but when chances, and even chances to create chances, were spurned, frustration at Molineux grew.

From having the fans firmly on board, one of Edwards' biggest challenges over the summer and at the start of next term will be to get the home faithful back on side.