Gianluca Scamacca’s first Premier League goal set West Ham on their way to a comfortable victory over fellow early-season strugglers Wolves.
The Italy forward, making only his second start in the English top flight following his £30.5m arrival from Sassuolo, opened the scoring with a superb half-volley into the top right corner.
It delivered the Hammers’ first goal prior to half-time this term and laid the platform for a valuable win that moves David Moyes’ side out of the bottom three and up to 15th in the table.
Prior to Scamacca’s moment of inspiration there had been few moments of attacking flair on display from either side who initially lived up to their billing as the joint-lowest scorers in the division.
Wolves, who lost Pedro Neto to a first-half injury went further behind when Jarrod Bowen drove a low effort past Jose Sa after the ball looped into his path.
The visitor’s best opportunity fell to substitute Diego Costa, but the former Chelsea forward headed just wide from a teasing Adama Traore cross.
Costa, featuring in his first competitive game since December 2021 and first in English football since 21 May 2017, appeared relatively sharp given his long period of inaction.
He looked to have supplied an assist for Daniel Podence’s tap-in before being judged to have run marginally offside.
Disappointingly for the visiting supporters that was the best their team could muster with Wolves slipping down the table to 18th.
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Hammers hit form as Wolves’ woes continue
While West Ham have won four times in European competition this season, that form has not been reproduced domestically.
However, a fixture against a Wolves side who have now failed to win in their last eight matches on their travels served up a perfect opportunity for Moyes and his side to remedy some early-season problems.
Craig Dawson’s return in defence, alongside Kurt Zouma and the impressive Thilo Kehrer, provided some added steel to deliver a first clean sheet at home since beating Wolves 1-0 in February.
Further up the pitch, Bowen was the perfect foil to Scamacca’s power and capped a fine performance full of elusive running with a clinical finish as he opened his account in the league this season.
With their Portuguese contingent, Wolves became the first Premier League side to start a match with eight players from the same non-English nationality.
Yet despite enjoying plenty of possession it was familiar tale of woe for Bruno Lage’s side who were once again toothless in the final third.
While Wolves had 15 efforts on goal, only four found the target and none seriously threatened to beat home goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Player of the match
ScamaccaGianluca Scamacca
with an average of 8.01
West Ham United
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Squad number7Player nameScamacca
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Squad number20Player nameBowen
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Squad number15Player nameDawson
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Squad number28Player nameSoucek
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Squad number41Player nameRice
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Squad number24Player nameKehrer
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Squad number8Player nameFornals
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Squad number11Player nameLucas Paquetá
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Squad number9Player nameAntonio
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Squad number1Player nameFabianski
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Squad number33Player nameEmerson
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Squad number4Player nameZouma
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Squad number3Player nameCresswell
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Squad number14Player nameCornet
Wolverhampton Wanderers
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Squad number29Player nameDiego Costa
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Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves
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Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence
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Squad number77Player nameCampbell
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Squad number23Player nameKilman
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Squad number6Player nameTraoré
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Squad number37Player nameTraoré
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Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
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Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri
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Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
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Squad number28Player nameJoão Moutinho
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Squad number27Player nameMatheus Nunes
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Squad number19Player nameJonny
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Squad number17Player nameGonçalo Guedes
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Squad number7Player namePedro Neto
Line-ups
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 24Kehrer
- 15Dawson
- 4Zouma
- 3CresswellBooked at 83mins
- 28Soucek
- 41RiceBooked at 52mins
- 20Bowen
- 11Tolentino Coelho de LimaSubstituted forEmersonat 74′minutes
- 14CornetSubstituted forFornalsat 34′minutes
- 7ScamaccaSubstituted forAntonioat 66′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Coufal
- 8Fornals
- 9Antonio
- 10Lanzini
- 12Downes
- 13Areola
- 21Ogbonna
- 22Benrahma
- 33Emerson
Wolves
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Malheiro de Sá
- 19Castro Otto
- 8NevesBooked at 14mins
- 23Kilman
- 22Nélson SemedoSubstituted forTraoréat 73′minutes
- 28João MoutinhoBooked at 22mins
- 27NunesSubstituted forCampbellat 73′minutes
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 10Podence
- 7NetoSubstituted forTraoréat 24′minutes
- 17Gonçalo GuedesSubstituted forDiego Costaat 58′minutes
Substitutes
- 6Traoré
- 13Sarkic
- 14Mosquera
- 24Gomes
- 25Ronan
- 29Diego Costa
- 37Traoré
- 64Bueno
- 77Campbell
Live Text
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Match ends, West Ham United 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.
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Second Half ends, West Ham United 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.
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Attempt blocked. Declan Rice (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen.
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Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Rúben Neves.
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Attempt blocked. Emerson (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Declan Rice.
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Daniel Podence (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Tomás Soucek (West Ham United).
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Foul by Boubacar Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
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Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Hand ball by Rayan Aït-Nouri (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Emerson.
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Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United).
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Attempt blocked. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen.
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Attempt blocked. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Declan Rice.
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Attempt saved. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Emerson.
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Attempt missed. Chem Campbell (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
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Substitution, West Ham United. Emerson replaces Lucas Paquetá.
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Attempt missed. Daniel Podence (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jonny.
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