West Ham end winless run with emphatic 4-2 victory over Wolves

West Ham United ended their winless start to the Championship season with a 4-2 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the London Stadium, climbing to third place in the table.

Manchester City loanee Divine Mukasa announced himself with two goals, while Jarrod Bowen converted from the penalty spot and Konstantinos Mavropanos added a fourth in a match that saw the hosts finally translate attacking intent into three crucial points.

Mukasa's Wonder Strike Breaks Deadlock

After Wolves struck the woodwork twice through Raul Jimenez and Mateus Mane, Mukasa opened the scoring on 33 minutes against the run of play. The teenager found space on the edge of the area and unleashed a piledriver that cannoned in off the underside of the bar. It was a memorable way for the summer signing to open his account, coming after smart attacking play that got Kyle Walker-Peters behind Wolves' defensive line.

Bowen doubled the advantage four minutes before half-time, rolling in a penalty after Joel Piroe was brought down by André. However, Marshall Munetsi halved the deficit with a brilliant run and finish into the corner just before the interval. The Zimbabwean bore down on goal, checked inside Mavropanos and finished coolly inside Mads Hermansen's left-hand post.

Second-Half Goals Restore Control

Mukasa restored the two-goal cushion eight minutes after the break, though his second arrived with a huge slice of luck. His tame effort deflected past Jose Sa off Nasser Djiga's boot. The goal came from a lovely move that started with a cute through ball from Bowen that Pablo dummied, taking four Wolves players out of the game.

Mavropanos made it 4-2 on 64 minutes, rifling in the rebound from close range after his header from Arne Engels' corner was blocked. Yet Wolves refused to lie down, with Jordan James pressurising Mavropanos into turning Jackson Tchatchoua's low cross into his own net moments later.

Contrasting Fortunes for Championship Newcomers

The result moved West Ham to third place, two points behind second-placed Charlton, while Wolves dropped to 11th. For Nuno Espirito Santo's side, facing his old club, the defeat represented a first loss in an otherwise impressive start.

West Ham had entered the match in 19th place with only two points from three matches, still seeking their first league win after two draws and one defeat. Their sole home league fixture had resulted in a 1-0 loss against Charlton. In contrast, Wolves arrived sitting second with seven points, unbeaten in the league after securing two wins and one draw.

The match highlighted two disjointed sides trying to carve out new identities following relegation to the Championship. West Ham won thanks to a bit of luck, resolve and crucially, sharpness in front of goal that took them away from Wolves. For all their obvious technical ability, César Peixoto's side lacked the hosts' sang froid at crucial moments, which proved the decisive factor.

Former Newcastle shareholder Amanda Staveley, who remains in the running to acquire a stake at West Ham, was seen punching the air at Mukasa's first-half wonder strike. The Manchester City loanee was not the only new recruit to impress, with Arne Engels playing well alongside him in midfield.

While Wolves could take solace from the performance of 21-year-old Cameroon full-back Tchatchoua, who made an impact at both ends, and Mané's dominance on the left-hand side, they lacked the final product. On this occasion, it was West Ham who brought the goods to secure a vital victory against a prospective promotion rival.