Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek struck to help deliver West Ham and Julen Lopetegui a much-needed 2-1 victory over Wolves in what had been billed as a must-win match for the Hammers boss – and at the same time piling the pressure on Gary O’Neil.
On a night of drama, tension and controversy, West Ham skipper Bowen emerged as the hero at the end of a wild 18-minute second-half spell which saw three goals scored – with Matt Doherty equalising for Wolves either side of two West Ham goals – and two big VAR calls made. The game also saw two further strikes ruled out and two Wolves penalty appeals turned down by the officials.
The stakes were put into perspective throughout the night by shows of support to Hammers No 9 Michail Antonio, who has had surgery after a car accident on Saturday, but in footballing terms this appears to have been a significant success for Lopetegui, whose job seemed to be on the line.
It is also a damaging defeat for Wolves head coach O’Neil who is himself under pressure, with his side still languishing second-bottom in the table and four points from safety. He can point to several key decisions which cost him and his side here.
O’Neil can name a long list of controversial calls which have gone against him during his tenure and there was another on Monday night, with West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka rather than Wolves’ Toti appearing to get the final touch on the ball before the corner was awarded which unmarked Soucek looped in his header from.
VAR did come to Wolves’ rescue when Mohammed Kudus thought he’d tapped in but was clearly offside – and the attacker saw another effort struck off in similar circumstances in the final minutes. But the visiting coaching staff were aggrieved when the officials in Stockley Park didn’t recommend an on-field review when Emerson bundled Goncalo Guedes to the ground as he ran into the West Ham box.
Wolves were level just seconds later, though, with Doherty guiding in Rayan Ait-Nouri’s low cross – however, his celebrations for his first goal in a year were short-lived with Bowen almost instantly putting the Hammers back in front with a trademark twisting run and low finish.
He held aloft an Antonio shirt during his celebration and the West Ham fans sang the absent striker’s name as their side ultimately saw out an important victory which they hope will be a launchpad. They are now nine points above the drop zone.
Wolves may point to a potential foul from Kostas Mavropanos on Santiago Bueno earlier in the move for that Bowen goal, while yet another VAR call went against Wolves late on, with Mavropanos cleared of felling Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in the box by stepping on his foot.
Joao Gomes missed a great first-half chance to put them in front but their frail defence was again exposed, with Mavropanos missing a good opening of his own in that first 45 before the damage was done after the break. The full-time whistle saw captains Bowen and Mario Lemina clashing, with Lemina later pushing his own team-mates and coaching staff at the end of a high-pressure night.
Things got heated after the full-time whistle between Jarrod Bowen and Mario Lemina
Lopetegui: We dedicate this victory to Antonio
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui:
“We are happy, we dedicate the victory to Michail and his family. It has been tough the last days – the last week – the last days especially. He deserves this. We love a lot Michail, he’s a special person for us. I’m sure he’ll overcome this bad moment and come back. Today the best thing we can do is get the victory for him.
“The first half we don’t start well. We score a set-piece goal, always important. The team showed character and good mentality [after the equaliser]. To have this kind of mentality is going to help us achieve more points.
“We deserved to win, we had a lot of chances, a lot of corners. We overcame one bad moment.”
O’Neil: Straightforward decisions went against us
Wolves boss Gary O’Neil:
“We gave ourselves a chance to get something from the game. You can see the lads are still 100 per cent committed and are willing to fight and give everything. We probably edged the game with good chances and good moments. And then we let ourselves down losing our marking at a corner, which apparently wasn’t a corner. I hear it came off Wan-Bissaka last.
“We didn’t find a way to turn it in our favour today. But some of the decisions went against us as well in a big game. Big moments. Some decisions that looked fairly straight forward went against us.”
On the challenge from Mavropanos on Bueno before Bowen’s goal: “It’s a blatant foul on Santi Bueno and there’s no way it’s a difference phase. The ball is still in the same area. They will find reasons, and of course they will, and I get there will be grey areas and the wording of the rule can be interpreted in many different ways. But that’s a blatant foul on Bueno in the seconds before the goal. That’s a blatant foul.”
“How is that not a foul?!” – Carragher on key decisions for West Ham goals
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher on the Soucek goal:
“It’s not a corner, but you can’t criticise the officials there. You talk about things going against you – it comes off Wan-Bissaka. Wolves have to defend the set-piece better.”
On the Bowen goal:
“For me, Mavropanos is jumping for the ball and he fouls the defender on the floor. He doesn’t react too much and then Bowen scores not too long after.
“He’s jumping for the ball, he’s trying to get it and he just jumps on the back of the defender. How is that not a foul?!”
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