Rodrigo Gomes Double Fires Wolves Past Stoke as Peixoto’s Side Stay Unbeaten
Wolves came from behind to beat Stoke 4-1 and continue their unbeaten start in the Sky Bet Championship.
Sam Gallagher’s stunning second-minute goal gave Stoke the perfect start at Molineux, but two goals in three minutes from Rodrigo Gomes turned the game on its head before half-time. Raul Jimenez’s penalty made it 3-1 after 55 minutes before substitute Jordan James scored on his home debut with six minutes remaining.
Mateus Mane also went close for Wolves in a convincing performance from Cesar Peixoto’s side, who went top following the lunchtime fixtures.
Gallagher shocked Wolves with a superb early goal for the visitors, holding off Marshall Munetsi before curling a tremendous shot into the top corner from 25 yards to leave goalkeeper Jose Sa with no chance. It was the 30-year-old’s first goal since March, and one that stemmed from a sloppy square pass by Wolves attacker Fer Lopez.
Gallagher almost doubled the lead moments later when his shot was blocked by Sa after an early pass from Bae Jun-ho, and Sorba Thomas should have buried the rebound but fired wide.
Having survived that scare, Wolves hit back with their first serious chance of the game in the 20th minute, then took the lead three minutes later — both goals coming from Gomes, and both from rebounds. The Portuguese attacker was ideally placed to stab home after goalkeeper Viktor Johansson parried Jimenez’s side-footed effort following a heavy touch by Eric Bocat.
Mane did brilliantly to set up Wolves’ second, beating Ben Johnson and Gallagher before holding off Bosun Lawal. His cross was parried by Johansson, and Gomes reacted quickest to fire high into an unguarded net.
Wolves had a couple of opportunities to extend their lead after the restart but found their way blocked by resolute Stoke defending. Jimenez had a shot blocked before winning a penalty when he was impeded by Johnson at the far post while challenging for Hugo Bueno’s corner. The Mexican made no mistake from the spot, firing home his second goal of the season by sending Johansson the wrong way.
Mane was denied a fourth when his curling shot was tipped wide by Johansson, who then smothered an angled drive from the same player. Stoke’s attack had gone quiet by this stage, though Bocat did screw a tame effort wide late on.
James, who had replaced Gomes in the 77th minute, both started and finished the move for Wolves’ fourth. The Wales international swept home Lopez’s square pass from 12 yards inside Johansson’s left-hand post, having earlier released Lopez out wide with a crossfield pass to begin the move.
Substitute Tawanda Chirewa’s curling effort was deflected over as Wolves searched for a fifth goal.
