Divine Mukasa proved decisive, netting a brace as West Ham overcame Wolves 4-2, finally earning their inaugural three points of the campaign after a season that began with a drop to the Championship following last year’s relegation. The match also marked a rare defeat for Wolves, who, like the Hammers, had been relegated from the Premier League the previous term and were hoping to climb to the top of the table under their new boss, Cesar Peixoto. However, the visitors fell behind early and could not recover, handing West Ham a morale‑boosting win that eased the pressure on manager Nuno Espirito Santo, especially as potential investor Amanda Staveley attended the game at the London Stadium.
The opening exchanges were tense. West Ham’s early chances were limited, but a moment of relief came when Raul Jimenez, finding space inside the box after a clever pass from Jackson Tchatchoua, struck a wild effort that sailed well over the crossbar. Jimenez’s second try, this time from a corner that curled to the edge of the penalty area, was more precise; his shot bounced off the turf, rose over goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, and struck the underside of the crossbar before dropping back into play.
Shortly after, Mateus Mane also tested the woodwork, his drive from the left side of the box clipping the bar after a mis‑timed cross from Kyle Walker‑Peters, who managed to deflect the ball just enough to keep it in play. The deadlock finally arrived in the 33rd minute, but contrary to the flow of the game it was West Ham who broke the stalemate.
Mukasa, on loan from Manchester City, unleashed a powerful strike from just beyond the 20‑yard mark. The ball arced towards the goal and ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar before finding the net, giving the home side a 1-0 lead. The goal highlighted a transformed West Ham side, with Marshall Munetsi scrambling to block a clearance from Wolves’ defender Max Kilman on the goal line.
Ten minutes later, a penalty was awarded after Wolves defender Andre lunged at Joel Piroe inside the box. Jarrod Bowen stepped up, sending goalkeeper Jose Sa the wrong way and calmly slotted the spot‑kick home to double the lead.
Wolves responded quickly; just before half‑time, Munetsi won a chase with Konstantinos Mavropanos, turned the Greek defender, and fired a low drive past Hermansen’s outstretched hand, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. The second half saw West Ham extend their advantage further.
In the 53rd minute, Mukasa added his second of the night. After receiving a pass from Bowen on the right flank, the teenager took a touch and his shot clipped the boot of defender Nasser Djiga before looping over the bar and into the net, making it 3-1. Shortly after, Bowen attempted a sharp‑angled drive that Sa managed to parry, but the rebound fell to Mavropanos, who had come forward for the corner.
The centre‑back headed the ball onto the crossbar, then reacted quickly to smash the rebound home, pushing the score to 4-1. Wolves managed to pull one back in the 69th minute when Mavropanos, attempting to clear a cross from substitute Jordan James, inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net, reducing the margin to 4-2. Despite the concession, Wolves remained organized and fought until the final whistle, but West Ham’s dominance was clear.
After the match, Nuno Espirito Santo praised his side’s performance, saying, "We all know it was much‑needed, this win. The way we are trying to grow and to improve, there were mistakes again today that we need to correct but we were able to be dominant. The attacking actions today were much more effective and this is the direction we hope for the team. If we look at the goals we conceded requires more than anything focus, concentration and determination.
We must get there, there are a lot of things to work on." Regarding Mukasa’s impact, Santo added, "I’m delighted, not only for the goals but the way he played, the positions he took in the middle of the park. He is a young player with a lot of things to improve but I’m delighted to have him. I value a lot the goal as you can imagine but more than anything was his position, the way he distributed the ball, the way he supported and defended. And if he can score then fantastic." Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto reflected on the defeat, acknowledging the missed opportunities: "It was not the result we wanted, we created a lot of chances to score.
But congratulations to West Ham, they scored more goals. Their first goal was a great goal, a shot like that is impossible to defend, but for five minutes after that we were quite disorganised and conceded the penalty. West Ham’s third goal was a little lucky. For the corners and the free‑kicks my goalkeeper was blocked all the time and for the fourth goal they score.
It is an unfair result. Two goals difference is unfair.
The good thing is that the team stayed organised and as a team to the end. It was an amazing effort from the players but we have to improve some things." The victory not only gave West Ham three crucial points but also signalled a potential turning point in their season, offering hope to supporters and investors alike.
The match, broadcast with a recommendation to view via Chrome for optimal video playback, also featured promotional messages encouraging viewers to watch Championship highlights and participate in a Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000. The win will undoubtedly be a reference point as West Ham looks to build momentum and strive for promotion back to the top flight.