Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Vítor Pereira has praised Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare after he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Everton at Molineux.
Arokodare, who joined Wolves in the summer, came off the bench late in the game and scored in the 87th minute with a clever finish over goalkeeper Mark Travers. His goal sealed Wolves’ place in the fourth round.
Pereira admitted the striker is still building fitness but said he was pleased with his confidence and impact.
“When we are expecting a strong shot, he showed belief in himself. He is not yet at his best physically,” Pereira said. “Larsen worked hard for the team today, and when Tolu came on, he helped us too. This is the spirit I want to see.”
The coach explained that Arokodare was brought on to gain minutes and adapt to the team rather than play the full match.
“The plan was never for him to play 90 minutes. He needs time to adapt and to build his condition. If he keeps working hard, he will help us a lot,” Pereira added.
Earlier in the match, Marshall Munetsi opened the scoring in the 29th minute. Arokodare’s late strike secured the victory, which was only Wolves’ second win of the season.
Pereira, who made nine changes to his line-up, said the performance showed the quality and spirit needed to improve results.
“It was nice to see confidence, good football, pressure, control, and team spirit,” he said. “A good result can change everything — the atmosphere, the mood, and the smiles of the players and fans. Today, we have reasons to smile.”
The win also gave Wolves their first clean sheet of the season. They will now face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this weekend.