Wolverhampton Wanderers dominated Stoke City 4-1 this Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Molineux Stadium, as part of the 3rd matchday of the Sky Bet Championship. The match, which began with a goal from Sam Gallagher in the 2nd minute, turned in favor of the home side thanks to a quick brace from Rodrigo Gomes within three minutes before halftime. Raúl Jiménez then converted a penalty in the 55th minute, before Jordan James sealed the fate of the Potters late in the game (84th).
The Wolves, now league leaders following the midday fixtures, delivered a convincing performance under César Peixoto. Their victory was built on an immediate response after the away side’s opening goal, followed by technical and tactical control throughout the match. Stoke, despite a promising start, saw their ambitions crumble after a series of defensive errors.
A explosive start for Stoke
Stoke struck early with Sam Gallagher, who scored from 25 yards with an unstoppable strike past José Sá. The Welshman, scoring his first goal since March, capitalized on an inaccurate square pass from Fer López to slot home with his right foot into the top corner. Gallagher nearly doubled the lead shortly after, but his effort was saved by Sá following an opening from Bae Jun-ho. Sorba Thomas, on the rebound, thought he had equalized but sent his shot over the bar. Despite this setback, the Potters continued to apply notable pressure. Viktor Johansson, Wolves’ goalkeeper, was called into action multiple times, including a headed effort from Gallagher that was pushed out for a corner. Stoke appeared capable of extending their lead, but a string of defensive errors quickly turned the tide. It was Rodrigo Gomes who reignited Wolverhampton with two goals in three minutes before half-time. The Portuguese first capitalized on a Johansson save from a Raúl Jiménez strike to level the scores (20th minute). Three minutes later, he punished the Stoke defenders following a breakthrough by Mateus Mane, putting his team ahead (23rd minute). The first half ended 3-1, Jiménez converting a penalty awarded after a foul by Ben Johnson on the same player. Mane then came close to a fourth, but Johansson tipped his effort onto the post. Disorganized, Stoke had no further influence on the game after the break. In the second half, Wolverhampton continued to dominate, though Mane missed further chances. Eric Bocat even thought he had pulled a goal back with a long-range effort, but it sailed wide. Jordan James, introduced in the 77th minute, sealed the win with a fourth goal from a López cross, sealing the visitors’ fate. Tawanda Chirewa tried to make it five, but his strike was deflected over the bar.
Post-match manager reactions
César Peixoto, Wolverhampton’s manager, praised his players’ response after conceding the opener. “We conceded a goal, but the reaction was very important. We showed character and personality to come back and score four goals. We could even have scored more,” he said. “We played well, were organized both defensively and offensively. The players showed quality and found the necessary spaces.” Meanwhile, Mark Robins, Stoke’s coach, acknowledged his team’s mistakes. “We scored a magnificent goal, then shot ourselves in the foot. We started well, with a world-class goal, but then we played differently. Instead of continuing on our momentum, we lost the ball in a dangerous area and they scored two goals without having to fight for them. That changed the whole dynamic of the game,” he added. “We are responsible for our own failure for the second week running.” The win propels Wolverhampton to the top of the Championship standings, while Stoke, despite a strong start, remain in mid-table. The next fixtures for both teams look set to be decisive for the rest of the season.
Sophie Bartega · 29 août 2026 · 5 min de lecture
