Wolverhampton Wanderers delivered an important performance on Saturday, defeating Bournemouth 1-0 at Vitality Stadium and pulling five points clear of the relegation zone. The victory came after Bournemouth was reduced to ten men when defender Illia Zabarnyi received a red card for a reckless challenge, changing the dynamics of the match entirely.
Matheus Cunha scored the decisive goal, netting his 14th of the season just five minutes after Zabarnyi's dismissal. The Brazilian forward's strike came at a time when Wolves had seized control of the game following the red card issued by referee Michael Salisbury after VAR review; Zabarnyi had initially been shown yellow for catching Rayan Aït-Nouri above the ankle.
Cunha's goal marked yet another highlight for Wolves' campaign, as it was his fourth consecutive match with at least one contribution, illustrating his current form and importance to the team. He expressed his satisfaction with the victory, saying, "We are very happy about the victory. It is so hard to play without one player, and we knew we needed to be intelligent and bebetter with the ball. We worked and had some luck to win. We did not have a very good game, but we did what was important to win" (reported by Premier League Productions).
The day started with promise for both teams as Wolves pressed for early dominance. Nélson Semedo struck the post, and Kepa Arrizabalaga made a fantastic save against Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. Bournemouth boasted only one loss from their previous 13 league games, but the early pressure from Wolves challenged their expectations.
After the turn of events with the red card, Bournemouth attempted to regroup and respond, but the numerical disadvantage soon became evident. Wolves capitalized on this when defenders Dean Huijsen and James Hill failed to clear the ball, allowing Cunha to fire it past the onrushing Arrizabalaga.
Wolves then settled down with their lead. Despite some chances after the break, most significantly with newly signed midfielder Marshall Munetsi missing from close range, the visitors maintained their grip on the game. Bournemouth struggled to find their rhythm and failed to register any shots on target during the second half.
Wolves' victory not only alleviates some relegation fears, but enhances their morale as they push for safety, now sat 17th with 22 points from 26 games. This win extends their lead above 18th-placed Ipswich Town, who faced a heavy defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.
For Bournemouth, the loss stunted their aspirations for entering the top four of the Premier League. With this defeat, they remain level on points with Chelsea, complicatively placing them fifth. Coach Andoni Iraola’s side has so far produced impressive football this campaign, but Saturday’s performance marked one of their least dynamic outings.
Looking to the future, Bournemouth and Wolves are set to face each other again next Saturday in the fifth round of the FA Cup at the Vitality Stadium. It will be another chance for Bournemouth to regroup and turn their fortunes around painlessly, as they must reflect on this pivotal defeat against Wolves.
While Wolves savor their victory away from home, the question looms: can they maintain the momentum to solidify their spot above the relegation line? With Cunha’s form and the team's growing confidence, the coming matches could very well define their season.