Wolves are through to the third round of the Carabao Cup after producing a 3-2 comeback win against West Ham United.
It was Jorgen Strand Larsen to the rescue in the second-half, as the exit-linked Norwegian struck twice in two minutes to bail Wolves out.
A third defeat in a row would have been extremely concerning.
But Wolves’ number nine came up trumps, as did several other players who came off the bench last night.
New signing Jackson Tchatchoua impressed with a lively cameo, and fans got to see his searing pace which is exciting.
But another player who made a solid impression was Sasa Kalajdzic, who might just have confirmed his fate for the 2025/26 season.
Sasa Kalajdzic helped change the game for Wolves
Kalajdzic was the final substitute last night against West Ham.
He was introduced with around 10 minutes to go – and the Austrian really did put in an effective cameo performance.
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The 28-year-old held the ball up extremely well, providing Wolves with a target to hit up top.
There was one moment he held the ball on the left wing, before cleverly rolling it behind him down the line for Hugo Bueno to latch onto, which took a West Ham player out of the game.
Sasa Kalajdzic vs West Ham
Minutes played – 9
Touches – 9
Passes – 5/6 (83%)
Aerial duels – 2 (2)
He was just a handful playing up there with Strand Larsen, helping to pull defenders about and create space for his teammate.
It was a selfless display, and a performance that also went down very well with fans on social media after the game, with many believing he was the unsung hero of the comeback win.
On a night where Hwang Hee-chan really struggled to have any influence, Kalajdzic contributed, and hopefully this means Vitor Pereira will want to keep him around.
Sasa Kalajdzic has been linked with Wolves exit
Kalajdzic was tipped to leave Wolves on loan earlier this summer.
Of course, he hasn’t long been back from a long-term knee injury, and the feeling a couple of months ago was that a temporary exit was perhaps the most likely next step for him.
Kalajdzic himself even suggested a loan exit to a league overseas might suit him, but now things may have changed.
Vitor Pereira claps the Wolves fans at Molineux.
Photo by Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Wolves via Getty Images
Kalajdzic looked sharp in pre-season, and has now helped Wolves to come from behind and win in the Carabao Cup.
All the talk is currently about how Wolves must keep hold of Strand Larsen amid interest from Newcastle.
But it would be great to see Wanderers also retain Kalajdzic to provide that cover and competition for the Norwegian. He’s had such a rotten time with injuries, it would be amazing to finally see him thrive at Molineux.