Charly Alcaraz Seals Everton's 1-0 Victory Over Wolves in Carabao Cup
Charly Alcaraz stepped off the bench and, within three minutes, ripped the Carabao Cup tie away from Wolves.
His 80th-minute winner, a fierce curling strike from inside the box, sealed a 1-0 victory at Goodison Park and kept Everton’s unbeaten start to the season intact. It was only his second goal for the club, his first coming in this competition 13 months ago, but it landed with the weight of something far bigger.
Everton earn it the hard way
David Moyes’ side had to work for this. Wolves arrived heavily rotated, making nine changes from the team that beat Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, but they refused to roll over.
Raul Jimenez, the match-winner at the weekend, was handed a start and looked lively early on before concern swept through the visitors’ bench. Midway through the first half, the striker was forced off injured, a worrying sight for a club already juggling resources on multiple fronts.
Even with Wolves’ reshuffled XI, Everton controlled most of the night. They pushed, probed and pinned the Championship side back, yet the breakthrough stubbornly refused to come.
Virginia stands tall against his former club
That was largely down to Joao Virginia. On his Wolves debut, and facing his old club, the goalkeeper produced the standout moment of the first half.
Right on the stroke of the interval, Thierno Barry met a cross with a firm close-range header that looked destined for the net. Virginia exploded across his line and clawed it away, a stunning reaction stop that drew gasps around Goodison and kept the tie goalless.
After the break, it was Jordan Pickford’s turn. Wolves, who had barely threatened, finally registered a shot on target when Adam Armstrong, on for the injured Jimenez, broke through. Pickford stood firm, beating away the effort to preserve parity.
The game began to stretch. Chances started to appear. Virginia again frustrated Everton, this time denying substitute Brennan Johnson as the home crowd grew restless.
Alcaraz delivers the moment
Then came the release.
Alcaraz had barely found his bearings after coming on when the ball broke to him inside the area. One touch, a glance, and he whipped a powerful, curling effort beyond Virginia at last. Goodison erupted. The resistance was broken.
In the stands, the celebration rippled all the way to the directors’ box, where UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, both declared Everton supporters, had their moment too. They watched a side still grinding, still chasing, still believing that a first piece of silverware since 1995 might finally be within reach.
Nights like this keep that hope alive.
