Wolves knock West Ham out of Carabao Cup after comeback win courtesy Jorgen Strand Larsen’s brace off the bench.
In the second round of the Carabao Cup, Wolves upset West Ham 3-2, completing an incredible comeback with two goals in three minutes from Jørgen Strand Larsen.
To set Molineux rocking, the Norwegian striker, who is a transfer target for Newcastle, came off the bench and produced two incredible goals with eight and six minutes remaining.
After he and his teammates went over to cheer the travelling West Ham supporters, the captain, Jarrod Bowen, took to Instagram to apologise for his actions. He once seemed to point to a fan and say something before trying to climb the advertising hoarding, but comrades intervened.
Bowen removed the captain’s armband and walked off the field with his head down. “I’m someone who is passionate and will fight ever[y] time I step on the pitch,” the player wrote. “But I need to set a better example and you fans know how much I love you and this club!”
Hwang Hee-chan’s penalty in the 43rd minute had bounced back off the inside of a post, and Rodrigo Gomes had squeezed in a rebound to give Wolves the lead at halftime. However, close-range headers put the visitors back on track.
After absorbing some pressure, West Ham took the lead in the 63rd minute when Jarrod Bowen crossed from the right touchline for the unmarked Lucas Paqueta to nod inside Sam Johnstone’s near post. Five minutes into the second half, Tomas Soucek put an effort inside the far post from a swirling Kyle Walker-Peters ball.
Strand Larsen was the hero when home manager Vitor Pereira, who had made no less than eight changes to his starting lineup, brought on the cavalry with 17 minutes remaining, adding to the pressure Wolves had been applying. Strand Larsen was there to guide the ball into the roof of the net in the 82nd minute when Hugo Bueno cut back to the edge of the box and Andre’s strong low hit bounced off Alphonse Areola’s thigh.
When the turnaround was finished, the crowd was still standing. Jhon Arias and Strand Larsen had a one-two, with Areola’s leg blocking the former’s shot and Jackson Tchatchoua quickly putting the rebound back into the penalty area from the right, allowing Strand Larsen to score through the crowd.