Wolves Pull Off Dramatic Comeback Led by Strand Larsen; Upset by Sheffield Wednesday as Leeds are Stunned

West Ham United's EFL Cup Woes Continue as They Lose to Wolves

West Ham United's struggles in the EFL Cup persisted as they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night. The Premier League side, who are currently under pressure after losing three games in a row this season, conceded 11 goals in those matches.

Graham Potter, the coach who was appointed head coach on January 9, 2025, will be feeling the heat following this latest setback. West Ham started the match well, taking a 2-1 lead in the second half through Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta. However, Jorgen Strand Larsen scored twice in the 82nd and 84th minutes to complete Wolves' comeback and secure a memorable win.

Strand Larsen's goals were his first of the new season, and the first came from the rebound of Hwang Hee-chan's penalty, which struck the post. West Ham struggled to create against Wolves, accumulating just 0.92 expected goals (xG) from their seven attempts.

Meanwhile, in other EFL Cup action, Huddersfield Town stunned Sunderland, winning the penalty shootout 6-5. The match ended 1-1 in normal time, with Leo Castledine scoring for Sunderland and Marc Guiu equalizing for Huddersfield. The decisive kick was saved by Lee Nicholls, who denied Milan Aleksic to secure the victory for Huddersfield.

Elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday stopped a run of three consecutive defeats against Leeds United in their EFL Cup match, marking their 104th meeting with their Yorkshire rivals. The match ended 1-1 in normal time, with Jamal Lowe scoring for Sheffield Wednesday in the 63rd minute and Jayden Bogle equalizing for Leeds United in the 81st minute. The game went to a penalty shootout, and Ethan Horvath saved three penalties for Sheffield Wednesday, helping them win 3-0.

Wrexham also progressed to the third round of the EFL Cup, beating Preston North End 3-2. Twice Wrexham came from behind in the match, with Ryan Hardie and Harry Ashfield cancelling out Lewis Dobbin and Liam Lindsay's respective goals. Kieffer Moore scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute to secure the victory for Wrexham.

Seven of Sheffield Wednesday's players had never made a league start for the club, while six of their last nine EFL Cup ties have now gone to penalties, with this their second triumph already this season. The Yorkshire club will be hoping to build on this victory and improve their fortunes in the league.

In conclusion, the EFL Cup provided some exciting matches this week, with West Ham United, Sunderland, Leeds United, and Wrexham all experiencing different fortunes. The competition continues to provide a platform for underdogs to shine, and it will be interesting to see who progresses to the next round.

Wolves Pull Off Dramatic Comeback Led by Strand Larsen; Upset by Sheffield Wednesday as Leeds are Stunned