West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen scored midway through the second half to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at home on Monday. Wanderers’ poor defending cost them again as they sit second-bottom.
Wolves lost three minutes after equalising to stay in 19th place with nine points from 15 games, while West Ham is 14th with 18. Wolves have surrendered 38 goals this season, the most in the top league.
Hammers striker Michail Antonio, 34, received a minute’s applause after the ninth minute after surgery on a fractured leg he sustained in a vehicle incident on Saturday.
Both West Ham’s Julen Lopetegui and Wolves’ Gary O’Neil are fighting to turn things around following dismal starts to the season, so pre-match speculation focused on whose job was most at risk.
Lopetegui’s Hammers scored in the 54th minute through Tomas Soucek from their 10th corner after forcing several set pieces in the first half.
The Wolves defending left the Czech midfielder unmarked at the far post to score a looping header. Wolves conceded their eighth corner goal and 15th set piece goal excluding penalties this season, more than any other top division team.
Wolves equalised in the 69th minute when Matt Doherty hit a brilliant shot into the corner after a strong penalty appeal was rejected. Bowen jinked onto his left foot in the box and buried the ball in the corner three minutes later, exposing Wolves’ defensive flaws again.
After losing so quickly after their equaliser, Wolves struggled to establish any momentum and scarcely attacked the West Ham goal in the last minutes, as the hosts won comfortably.
