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Bournemouth 0-1 Wolves: Cunha Secures Vital Win for Visitors

Matheus Cunha was the match-winner as Wolves capitalized on Illia Zabarnyi’s red card to claim a crucial 1-0 victory over Bournemouth, moving five points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

Cunha’s first-half strike proved decisive, punishing Bournemouth just minutes after Zabarnyi was sent off following a VAR review.


Cunha Strikes as Wolves Take Control

The first 36 minutes at the Vitality Stadium were end-to-end, with both teams creating chances. However, Wolves broke the deadlock when:

  • Marshall Munetsi delivered a cross into the box.
  • Cunha controlled the ball inside a packed penalty area.
  • The Brazilian fired past Kepa Arrizabalaga to give Wolves the lead.

Just five minutes earlier, Bournemouth had been reduced to 10 men after:

  • Illia Zabarnyi’s reckless sliding tackle on Rayan Ait-Nouri was reviewed by VAR.
  • The Ukrainian defender was shown a straight red card for catching Ait-Nouri high on his calf.

Wolves Miss Chances but Hold On for Victory

Wolves had multiple opportunities to extend their lead in the second half:

  • Munetsi missed a close-range chance.
  • Pedro Lima forced a great save from Kepa.

Despite their wastefulness, Vitor Pereira’s team held firm to secure a crucial three points, boosted by results elsewhere:

  • Ipswich Town lost 4-1 to Tottenham.
  • Leicester City were thrashed 4-0 by Brentford.

Wolves are now five points clear of both Ipswich and Leicester, while Bournemouth remain fifth, though they could drop to seventh by the end of the weekend.


Data Debrief: Cunha Shines, Munetsi Makes History

  • Matheus Cunha scored his 13th goal in 25 Premier League games this season.
  • Only Raul Jimenez (17 goals in 2019-20) has scored more for Wolves in a single campaign.
  • Marshall Munetsi became the first Wolves player to register a goal involvement on his first Premier League start since Craig Dawson (vs. Liverpool, February 2023).
  • Munetsi also became:
    • The first Zimbabwean player to record a Premier League goal involvement since Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth, September 2022).
    • The first Zimbabwean to assist a winning goal in the league since Benjani (Portsmouth, November 2007 vs. Birmingham City).

Final Thoughts

This hard-fought victory moves Wolves closer to Premier League safety, while Bournemouth will be disappointed with their missed opportunity to strengthen their top-six position.

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