Mario Lemina scored the only goal of the game as Wolves beat Brighton to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, where they will host Championship side Coventry City.
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele spilled a Jean-Ricner Bellegarde cross and Lemina slid in at the back post to finish at the second attempt after just two minutes.
Matt Doherty headed wide at the near post from Tommy Doyle’s cross moments later as the home side began the game in the ascendency.
Danny Welbeck had a header off target before Steele of all people stabbed wide from a corner in the dying seconds, but Brighton were unable to find a goal as they exited the competition.
Wolves reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the third time this century, previously doing so in 2002-03 and 2018-19, but it came at a cost.
Hwang Hee-chan went down injured after kicking the ball in the 54th minute, holding his hamstring and looking inconsolable which could prove to be a damaging injury for Gary O’Neil’s side.
Lemina, who was tackled down the back of his Achilles by Pascal Gross just before half-time, went off a minute later seemingly still struggling from the effects of that challenge.
Wolves’ impressive season continues
When O’Neil came in as Wolves’ manager three days before the Premier League season began, few fans would have expected them to be ninth in the table and into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
It was a close game which Brighton grew into but Wolves weathered the storm to progress.
The two sides played their second Premier League encounter of the season last month which ended goalless and this was a similarly close encounter.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side had chances through Jakub Moder and Simon Adingra who both shot wide.
Pervis Estupinan’s strike hit the arm of Max Kilman inside the box but Brighton’s calls for a penalty were waved away while Facundo Buonanotte planted a header wide of the post in a frustrating evening for the Seagulls.
Pedro Neto came on as a second half substitute and was sent through on the counter, skipping past Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk but his shot in the box was blocked by Igor and he couldn’t reach the rebound as Lemina’s early goal was enough to secure the win at Molineux.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the game, O’Neil said: “The moment we travelled to Brentford to play in the third round we set out with the aim to obviously try and win the FA Cup.
“We know there are a huge amount of hurdles in the way and it’s going to be really really tough but while you’re in the competition, that has to be your aim.
“The lads are just taking the competition very very seriously and whoever we got in the next round, we were desperate to win again tonight,” he continued.
“It was just an important game for us regardless of who we had but a home draw is good for us because we love playing here.”
The quarter-finals are scheduled to take place across the weekend of Saturday, 16 March.
Player of the match
LeminaMario Lemina
Wolverhampton Wanderers
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Squad number5Player nameLemina
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Squad number20Player nameDoyle
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Squad number23Player nameKilman
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Squad number7Player namePedro Neto
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Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri
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Squad number24Player nameToti
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Squad number8Player nameJoão Gomes
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Squad number4Player nameBueno
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Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
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Squad number21Player nameSarabia
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Squad number2Player nameDoherty
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Squad number27Player nameBellegarde
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Squad number6Player nameTraoré
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Squad number15Player nameDawson
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Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
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Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chan
Brighton & Hove Albion
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Squad number5Player nameDunk
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Squad number19Player nameBarco
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Squad number10Player nameEnciso
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Squad number3Player nameIgor Julio
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Squad number13Player nameGroß
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Squad number29Player namevan Hecke
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Squad number18Player nameWelbeck
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Squad number30Player nameEstupiñán
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Squad number40Player nameBuonanotte
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Squad number24Player nameAdingra
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Squad number15Player nameModer
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Squad number31Player nameAnsu Fati
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Squad number20Player nameBaleba
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Squad number47Player nameBaker-Boaitey
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Squad number44Player namePeupion
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Squad number23Player nameSteele
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 3-5-2
- 1SáBooked at 82mins
- 23Kilman
- 4Bueno
- 24Gomes
- 2Doherty
- 5LeminaSubstituted forSarabiaat 56′minutesBooked at 73mins
- 20Doyle
- 8João GomesSubstituted forNélson Semedoat 90+4′minutes
- 3Aït-NouriSubstituted forDawsonat 90+3′minutes
- 11Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forNetoat 56′minutesBooked at 89mins
- 27BellegardeSubstituted forTraoréat 76′minutes
Substitutes
- 6Traoré
- 7Neto
- 15Dawson
- 17Bueno
- 21Sarabia
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 25Bentley
- 62Chirewa
- 63Fraser
Brighton
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 23Steele
- 29van Hecke
- 5Dunk
- 3dos Santos de PauloBooked at 63minsSubstituted forBarcoat 80′minutes
- 44PeupionSubstituted forWelbeckat 45′minutes
- 15ModerSubstituted forBalebaat 61′minutes
- 13Groß
- 30Estupiñán
- 40BuonanotteSubstituted forBaker-Boaiteyat 70′minutes
- 24Adingra
- 31Ansu FatiBooked at 17minsSubstituted forEncisoat 70′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Verbruggen
- 4Webster
- 10Enciso
- 14Lallana
- 18Welbeck
- 19Barco
- 20Baleba
- 42Offiah
- 47Baker-Boaitey
Live Text
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Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 0.
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Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 0.
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Attempt missed. Jason Steele (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from very close range misses to the right. Assisted by Lewis Dunk following a corner.
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Attempt missed. Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Pascal Groß with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Craig Dawson.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nélson Semedo replaces João Gomes because of an injury.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Craig Dawson replaces Rayan Aït-Nouri.
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Attempt saved. Danny Welbeck (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Valentín Barco with a cross.
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Matt Doherty.
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Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Benicio Baker-Boaitey (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Pablo Sarabia.
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Attempt blocked. Carlos Baleba (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Danny Welbeck.
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Attempt saved. Maximilian Kilman (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Pablo Sarabia with a cross.
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Simon Adingra.
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Attempt blocked. Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Pascal Groß with a cross.
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Foul by Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Boubacar Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Danny Welbeck (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Valentín Barco with a cross.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.