Stateside Cup: Wolves 3 West Ham 1 - Report

The Hammers recovered and found an equaliser through Mohammed Kudus before the break.

An uninspiring second half saw neither side take control of the fixture until several substitutions sparked some life into the fixture.

Summer signing Gomes, who came on in the 64th minute, smashed home his first just eight minutes later.

He then added a second shortly after to secure Wolves the victory.

Analysis

A tropical storm descended on Jacksonville in the hours leading up to the game, which saw heavy rainfall, loud thunder and intense lightning surround the Everbank Stadium.

Widespread flooding and a waterlogged pitch put the game in doubt, but as the water drained away and the weather eased, the game was pushed back by 30 minutes.

However, a second storm forced the players back inside and the game was delayed even further, before finally kicking off just over two hours later than originally planned.

As the focus finally turned to the game, Wolves came close to creating an opening when Jorgen Strand Larsen’s run was found and his flick almost released Pablo Sarabia.

In the 18th minute Wolves took the lead with a smart finish. Sarabia stole the ball and found Larsen, who crossed low for Cunha to smash home from inside the box.

Wolves were enjoying themselves going forward and a brilliant Cunha cross with the outside of his boot almost set Larsen up.

Cunha had made a superb start to the game but came off for Hwang Hee-chan after just 30 minutes with an injury, in a huge blow to Wolves.

In the 44th minute, just before half-time, Kudus raced towards goal and fired a shot towards goal, which Dan Bentley let in at his near post.

The teams then entered the break drawing 1-1.

The second half had a proper pre-season feeling to it, with both sides going through the motions.

Several changes in the 64th minute injected some more life into the game, however, as Tawanda Chirewa forced Wes Foderingham into a save.

Wolves then regained the lead in style. A lovely Jean-Ricner Bellegarde run started the move as he then released Goncalo Guedes. He was tackled but Gomes was there to follow up and find the back of the net.

Wolves had taken complete control of the game and by the 77th minute they had scored a third. A superb cross from Pedro Lima found Gomes at the back post, as he headed in his second of the game.

He almost had a hat-trick when he was found with a cutback, but the winger saw his effort blocked.

Wolves saw out the remaining minutes of the second half to secure a comfortable win in Jacksonville.

Key Moments

GOAL 18 Cunha smashes home an opening goal

GOAL 44 Kudus equalises for the Hammers

GOAL 72 Gomes finds the back of the net for Wolves

GOAL 77 Gomes heads home his second and Wolves’ third

Teams

Wolves: Bentley, Doherty (Lima, 64), Mosquera (Dawson, 64), Toti (S.Bueno, 64), Ait-Nouri (H.Bueno, 64), Lemina (Doyle, 64), Cundle (Bellegarde, 64), Sarabia (Chirewa, 64), Cunha (Hwang, 30, Rawlings, 79), Chiquinho (R.Gomes, 64), Larsen (Guedes, 64).

Subs not used: King, Hoever, Fraser.

West Ham: Fabianski (Foderingham, 64), Coufal (Kodua, 45, Casey, 80), Aguerd (Earthy, 75), Mavropanos (Zouma, 45), Cresswell (Kilman, 45), Soucek (Orford, 45), Ward-Prowse (Irving, 64), Potts (Emerson, 45), Kudus (Antonio, 64), Cornet (Marshall, 64), Ings (Guilherme, 45)

Subs not used: Herrick, Kelly, Scarles.