Football: Lopetegui makes winning start as Wolves boss in League Cup
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Wolves new manager Julen Lopetegui (left) passing on instructions to his players during a match on Dec 20, 2022.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Julen Lopetegui relished in a “special day” as he made a winning start as Wolverhampton Wanderers manager, after late goals from substitutes Raul Jimenez and Rayan Ait-Nouri secured a 2-0 victory at home to Gillingham in the English League Cup fourth round on Tuesday.
Despite their loss, Gillingham defied their position as the bottom club in all four tiers of English league football against top-flight strugglers Wolves.
The deadlock at the Molineux was not broken until the 77th minute, when Jimenez scored from the penalty spot before Ait-Nouri ensured Wolves’ place in the quarter-finals with a stoppage-time goal.
Former Sevilla and Spain boss Lopetegui was appointed by Wolves in November
The 56-year-old will begin his quest to lift Wolves away from the foot of the Premier League against Everton on Monday.
“For me it is a very special day and, of course, I am very happy – but, above all, it is for the team because we wanted to be in the next round,” he said.
“We worked with good concentration and focus and, in the end, we are very happy.
“Now we have to look forward to the next matches.
“We have a hard task ahead but we have to be ready for it. We have a lot of things to improve.”
In other matches, Southampton came from behind to see off third-tier side Lincoln 2-1.
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s second-minute own goal gave Lincoln the lead at St Mary’s before two goals from Che Adams, one in each half, saw the Saints into the last eight.
On a night when Bournemouth were the only Premier League club to suffer a defeat, losing 1-0 to fellow top-flight side Newcastle United, Leicester City proved too strong for Milton Keynes Dons as they won 3-0 away to the League One strugglers.
Youri Tielemans, involved with Belgium at the World Cup, opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Ayoze Perez doubled the lead.
Former England forward Jamie Vardy completed the scoring for the Foxes when the veteran striker was on target early in the second half.
“We were hoping this could be a perfect game for us leading into the Premier League restarting,” said Leicester assistant manager Chris Davies, whose side take on Newcastle at home on Monday.
“And it turned out to be that.
“It was a really good evening for us, really positive, having been a few weeks away now from competitive games.” AFP
