West Ham 2-1 Wolves
by Paul Donovan
at the London Stadium

THE persona of fan favourite Michail Antonio hung over this game, after the big striker was seriously injured in a car accident at the weekend.

Tomas Soucek confirmed that the players had spoken by video link before the game. All wore Antonio tracksuit tops in the warm up.

Antonio, watching from his hospital bed, must have been pleased by the result of this hard fought contest, with his side running out the winners. 

It was West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui who emerged triumphant against Wolves counterpart Gary O'Neill in what had been dubbed the sack race at the London Stadium.

The two free fall sides largely cancelled each other out in an undistinguished first half.

It took 20 minutes before Wolves registered the first shot of the game.

The best effort for West Ham coming from Carlos Soler, when put through by Crysencio Summerville but Wolves keeper Sam Johnstone made the save.

Wolves best chance fell to Joao Gomes at the post but he failed to direct home.

West Ham stepped up the momentum in the second half, with Soucek quickly rewarded, seeing his looping header from a Jarrod Bowen corner put the home side in the lead.

Soucek held up nine fingers to signify he was dedicating the goal to Antonio.

VAR also went into overdrive in the second half, ruling out two Mohammed Kudus goals for offside, after good work from Bowen.

A Wolves penalty shout was over ruled by VAR before the visitors levelled, with Matt Doherty sweeping home a cross from the left.

West Ham though were not to be denied, with Bowen restoring the lead. He received the ball from Kudus, checked back and fired into the left hand corner. Bowen held up a shirt with Antonio's name on it.

The officials somehow found  eight minutes of added time, but West Ham held on to take the three points.

Lopetegui declared that the result was for Antonio. The manager was pleased with the fighting spirit shown by his team. "The team showed character," said Lopetegui.