Hwang Hee-chan netted two goals as Wolves handed a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat to a depleted Brentford side in a lively match at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The outcome propels Gary O’Neil’s team to 11th place on the table, while the Bees, facing the absence of 10 players due to suspension or injury, sit four points above the relegation zone in 14th.
The initial three goals unfolded in an extraordinary four-minute stretch in the first half. Mario Lemina, for the second consecutive game, headed in a delivery from Pablo Sarabia, granting Wolves an ideal commencement.
Remarkably, O’Neil’s side doubled their lead merely 12 seconds after the hosts resumed play. Hwang seized upon a misguided backpass from his former teammate Nathan Collins, circumvented home goalkeeper Mark Flekken, and tapped into an unguarded net.
Brentford swiftly retaliated with a goal of their own within two minutes, Yoane Wissa striking a right-footed effort past Wolves’ goalkeeper Jose Sa from Neal Maupay’s skillful flick over the visiting defense.
However, despite momentarily containing the visitors, a defensive lapse from the hosts allowed Wolves to claim their third goal, with Hwang securing his 10th of the season. The South Korean forward, left completely unmarked, skillfully collected Toti Gomes’ powerful header forward and lofted the ball superbly over the advancing Ethan Pinnock before placing it past Flekken.
With Brentford unable to convert several excellent opportunities to reduce the deficit, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who replaced Hwang in first-half stoppage time, rounded off the scoring late on for the visitors, with the error-prone Collins again culpable on a miserable night for the hosts.
“We were very clinical,” said O’Neil. “You don’t win by that score too many times away in the Premier League, so it’s one for the fans to enjoy.
“Brentford were aggressive. We didn’t have loads of control but we had big opportunities to go one-on-one and we caused them problems.”
Bees’ worries build
In his pre-match remarks, Brentford manager Thomas Frank expressed anticipation for his team to “come out flying” after a 10-day hiatus since their unfortunate home loss to Aston Villa. However, their period of inactivity, attributed to Manchester City’s participation in the Club World Cup, had the opposite effect.
Brentford allowed a clinical Wolves side, previously on a four-match losing streak away and winless in their last 14 London encounters, to seize complete control within the opening half-hour.
Both of Hwang’s goals could be considered belated Christmas gifts from the Brentford backline, while Bellegarde’s goal also resulted from a poor pass by Collins directly to Matheus Cunha on the edge of his penalty area.
Concerningly for Frank, this marked his team’s sixth defeat in seven games and the first instance of conceding four goals at home in the Premier League. Based on this performance, Frank will likely need the return of some key players soon, especially feeling the absence of the suspended Ivan Toney and the injured Bryan Mbeumo, particularly in the attacking third.
“When it rains it pours,” said Frank. “This moment in time it doesn’t go our way.
“We had so many promising attacks and big chances that could have given us a little bit. But it didn’t. We performed well, we just made too many big mistakes that killed the game.”
He said they did not deserve the scoreline, but added: “We made two big mistakes, which doesn’t help us, and we conceded two other goals we definitely could avoid. But let’s give a bit of credit to Wolves.”
Resurgent Wolves
Despite Wolves achieving victories against formidable opponents like Manchester City and Chelsea at Molineux, they encountered difficulties replicating such performances on their travels.
However, if they sustain this form, it would be reasonable for O’Neil and his team to set their sights on securing a European spot.
Nevertheless, they will need to navigate the challenge of Hwang’s absence due to the Asia Cup. His increasing influence and composure in front of goal have become invaluable assets for the team.
“He’s a dream. I just write his name down and let him get on with it,” O’Neil told Amazon Prime.
“When it falls to him at the goal, I get really relaxed because he’s got fantastic quality. He shows it all the time in training.”
O’Neil will at least be heartened that Hwang’s absence will be offset by the return of Portuguese playmaker Pedro Neto, who was on the Wolves bench after a two-month absence with a hamstring injury.