Late drama! Calafiori’s strike stuns Wolves, keeps Arsenal in the hunt

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Riccardo Calafiori’s dramatic late goal sealed a crucial 1-0 victory for Arsenal over Wolverhampton Wanderers in a tense Premier League encounter at Molineux.

The Italian defender came off the bench to make the decisive impact, keeping Arsenal in close pursuit of league leaders Liverpool.

The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Gabriel Martinelli’s cross into the box was partially cleared by Wolves’ defence, leaving Calafiori to pounce on the rebound and fire a clinical shot into the bottom right corner past José Sá.

The match began with Arsenal dominating possession, but they struggled to convert early chances. Kai Havertz came close on two occasions, nodding just wide in the 20th minute and narrowly missing the target again in the 24th.

However, the game’s dynamic shifted in the 43rd minute when Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly received a straight red card for a rash challenge, leaving the visitors with a numerical disadvantage.

Wolves, however, nearly drew first blood when Matheus Cunha unleashed a powerful strike in the 64th minute, only for Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to produce a brilliant save.

Wolves were reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute after João Gomes received his second yellow card for a reckless challenge, further tilting the momentum in Arsenal’s favour.

Despite being down a man, Wolves continued to press for an equaliser, with Matheus Cunha testing Raya late on, but the Arsenal shot-stopper stood firm.

The match also saw several substitutions as both sides tried to gain an edge. Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, introduced Calafiori at the start of the second half, a move that ultimately proved decisive. Wolves’ manager Vítor Pereira made multiple changes, including the introduction of Rodrigo Gomes and Gonçalo Guedes, but their impact was limited.

Arsenal endured a nervy finish as Wolves pushed for a last-minute equaliser, but their defence held strong, and Michael Oliver’s final whistle confirmed the Gunners’ hard-fought victory.

With this win, Arsenal remain in second place, closely trailing Liverpool, while Wolves continue to hover near the relegation zone.