Hwang Hee-chan scored the winner as Wolverhampton Wanderers ended champions Manchester City’s perfect start to the Premier League season with a shock 2-1 home win on Saturday.
The defeat at Molineux was City’s second loss in five days, after Newcastle United dumped them out of the League Cup, and dashed the leaders’ hopes of stretching their season-opening run to seven league wins in a row.
A Ruben Dias own goal sent Wolves 1-0 up in the 13th minute, Pedro Neto’s cross deflected in off the Portuguese player’s knee, but Julian Alvarez levelled the score with a bending free kick past Jose Sa in the 58th.
Hwang restored the home side’s lead on the counter-attack and against the run of play in the 66th by firing into the net from close rangeafter a Matheus Cunha pass found him unmarked.
“We know that we could have the opportunity on the counter,” said Neto. “We are playing against the best team in the world but we had belief that this could be a turning point for us. We work hard and we take the three points.”
With City manager Pep Guardiola serving a touchline ban for his third yellow card of the season, and midfielder Rodri serving a three-match ban, the visitors were shut out by determined and hard-working opponents.
The Premier League’s top scorer Erling Haaland, rested for City’s League Cup third-round loss, was a marginalised figure and had only 15 touches of the ball.
The defeat left City a point clear of unbeaten Arsenal at the top but in danger of being ousted by third-placed Liverpool, who were playing in the late game at Tottenham Hotspur.
The champions had conceded only three goals in their previous six matches.
Wolves, who had lost four of their last six league games, moved up to 13th thanks to their second win of the season.
“It was a massive result for us today. We have not started well but to beat the champions was unbelievable,” Wolves captain Max Kilman told the BBC.
“We knew it was a big game but we were ready to attack Man City. We wanted to fight for every chance and take our moments.”
The game started with an immediate edge as Matheus Nunes, who joined City from Wolves at the end of the transfer window after forcing a move by refusing to train, was in the starting lineup.
The Portuguese midfielder was booed by the crowd every time he touched the ball and was replaced at halftime.