In the face of numerous doubters, Gary O'Neil perseveres. And he continues to do so. With Wolves having Matheus Cunha at their disposal and in such fine form, there is hope for redemption. The Brazilian, with two superb finishes and a deft assist, secured back-to-back victories, catching Fulham off guard before sealing the deal with a spectacular strike as they pushed for a late equalizer.
After breaking their winless streak by defeating Southampton, and surviving the international break that can be so perilous for managers, O'Neil's job prospects, which had been bleak for much of the season, take a turn for the better. The victory at Fulham was a significant achievement. Wolves had convincingly beaten a club in a position their owners aspire to.
Marco Silva's team only briefly showed promise. Starting in seventh place, there was a possibility that Fulham could have been in the top four by full-time. However, they needed to overcome a poor record following international breaks, having won just two such matches under Silva and gaining only a single point from those matches this season. That dismal run continued.
With Storm Bert's winds gusting along the Thames, Raúl Jiménez, facing his former club, soon had his crisp white shirt dirtied but could not land a decisive blow on Wolves, who, after initially appearing disorganized, eventually mastered Fulham's array of forwards. Silva's team continues to lack a top-tier finisher.
When Kenny Tete made a solo run through the Wolves midfield, it suggested a vulnerable center that could—and would—be exploited. O'Neil has sought to reshape his approach, adding flair with players like goalscorer João Gomes, using Mario Lemina as a deep-lying controller, and capitalizing on Cunha's explosive form. This liberal approach comes at the cost of the grit associated with O'Neil, a determined character with rough edges. There were signs of the moral courage needed to stay up, a team embodying their manager.
Matching up against Fulham and engaging in a battle was risky, as Silva's team was brimming with flair. They should have taken the lead earlier when Jiménez failed to capitalize on a chance, hitting the post after Antonee Robinson's overlapping run. No problem, at least for Fulham. Reiss Nelson's pace had defenders retreating, and when his pass went astray, Tete found Alex Iwobi, another member of Silva's growing riverside entertainers. Given far too much space, Iwobi beat José Sá with a scorching finish.
O'Neil's calls for his team to press harder and higher drew Fulham out, and Lemina's playmaking skills were showcased by a brilliant pass from the halfway line, which found Cunha, using the wind to his advantage. The control was exemplary, the finish equally impressive for a 13th away goal since the start of last season, a record only bettered by Erling Haaland.
That was enough to shock and awe in a first half that faded beyond some customary grumbles about officiating from both sets of fans. The second period began with similar lethargy before Fulham, attempting to increase the pressure, found themselves caught out again. Cunha had started to dart around with purpose, and his stabbed pass found Gomes, whose low angled drive eluded Bernd Leno, unable to stop the skidding ball. Fulham's center was found to be just as soft as Wolves'.
Stunned into action, Fulham attempted a revival. Another Robinson overlap might have set up Iwobi, only for Rayan Aït-Nouri to intervene. After a loose pass from Tom Cairney, Cunha seemed poised to score again, only for Calvin Bassey's boot to stop him at the last moment. When Jørgen Strand Larsen attempted an overhead kick and collapsed to the floor, Wolves fans clamored for VAR, but to no avail.
Could Fulham find their way back? Harry Wilson, recently in goalscoring form, hit the crossbar, with the ineffective Emile Smith Rowe having been replaced. Wolves did not seek to sit on their advantage. Instead, they put Fulham to the sword. Gomes fired wide from an inside-left position before Cunha saved his best for last, finding space outside the box to beat Leno. Gonçalo Guedes slotted home in injury time for a Wolves team now rampant and full of vitality for the challenges ahead.
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