Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers - London Stadium, London, Britain - December 9, 2024 West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen scores their second goal REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
LONDON (Reuters) -West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen struck midway through the second half to secure a deserved 2-1 Premier League home win on Monday over Wolverhampton Wanderers, whose poor defending cost them again as they languish second-bottom in the standings.
Wolves conceded three minutes after equalising to stay in 19th spot on nine points from 15 games, while West Ham are 14th with 18 points. The 38 goals Wolves have conceded is the highest total in the top flight this season.
The game featured a minute’s applause after the ninth minute for 34-year-old Hammers striker Michail Antonio, who is recovering in hospital following surgery on a fractured leg sustained in a car crash on Saturday.
With both managers - West Ham's Julen Lopetegui and Wolves' Gary O'Neil - struggling to turn things around after their teams' disappointing starts to the season, the pre-match talk was all about whose job was most at risk.
After forcing a slew of set pieces in a scoreless first half, it was Lopetegui's Hammers who broke the deadlock in the 54th minute through Tomas Soucek from their 10th corner.
The Wolves defence left the Czech midfielder unmarked at the far post to send a looping header across goal into the net, and he immediately ran to a TV camera holding up nine fingers in a tribute to Antonio, who wears number nine for the Hammers.
The goal was the eighth Wolves have conceded from a corner and the 15th from a set piece excluding penalties this season, more than any other top flight team.
Wolves managed to level through Matt Doherty in the 69th minute with a superbly taken scooped volley into the corner shortly after they had a strong penalty appeal turned town.
The lead was short-lived as Wolves' defensive frailties were exposed again, with Bowen jinking onto his left foot in the box before burying the ball in the corner three minutes later.
Deflated after conceding so soon following their equaliser, Wolves struggled to create any momentum and, a few harmless off-target shots aside, they barely threatened the West Ham goal in the final minutes as the hosts held on comfortably to win.
Soucek revealed after the game that the team had spoken to Antonio on a video call earlier on Monday.
"The goal was for him. I dedicated it to him. I said before the game I really wanted to score even more today. He's been here since I came here. He's really my favourite," he told Sky Sports, adding he could not wait to visit his recovering teammate.
Wolves coach O'Neil admitted he was under pressure but insisted that his team were still giving it their all.
"I'm bit disappointed for them, really, because it was a decent away performance under a lot of pressure," he told Sky Sports.
"I can only ask them to give what they give, and they're giving absolutely everything, so I hope the supporters are still proud of what they see from the players."
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)
