Wolves suffered a bitter setback in the FA Cup fifth-round clash against Bournemouth.
The defeat stung, but the loss of star forward Matheus Cunha will hurt even more. His suspension now casts a dark cloud over Wolves’ season.
The 25-year-old Cunha saw his moment of magic turn sour. In the final minute of extra time, he clashed with Cherries defender Milos Kerkez and received a red card. Cunha had to be dragged down the tunnel, missing the crucial penalty shootout.
The match ended in a nerve-wracking 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. Both Matt Doherty and Boubacar Traore missed their spot-kicks in a 5-4 loss at Vitality Stadium. Evanilson had put Bournemouth ahead, but Cunha’s sensational 30-yard equaliser brought Wolves back into contention.
Cunha’s brilliant performance quickly descended into chaos. His red-mist moment left the team without their top player as they now sit fourth bottom in the Premier League. This costly error threatens their fight against relegation.
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In a heated altercation, Cunha repeatedly clashed with Kerkez. He fought, kicked the defender while he lay on the ground, and aimed a headbutt when Kerkez rose. Referee Sam Barrott had to intervene and showed him the red card after his teammates pulled him away.
The forward now faces a three-game suspension for violent conduct. This ban follows an earlier two-match ban for clashing with Ipswich Town security in December. Additional punishment may follow given the severity of his actions.
Wolves boss Vitor Pereira and former Arsenal defender Martin Keown both expressed their dismay. Pereira admitted that high pressure on and off the pitch led to Cunha’s lapse. Keown praised Cunha’s top-level talent but lamented the ugly turn his actions took, emphasizing the huge loss for the team.
The suspension means Cunha will miss fixtures against Everton, Southampton, West Ham, and Ipswich on April 5. Wolves have built a five-point buffer over Ipswich and Leicester City after two wins in their last four league matches. Losing their top league scorer with 13 goals and a £62.5m release clause makes this incident a massive blow to their season.
