Leo Bonatini was in danger of becoming the Wolves striker who had forgotten how to score.
The Brazilian racked up 12 goals by December last season and then went blank. Bonatini’s first goal of 2018 won’t win any prizes for beauty but he won’t care.
Adama Traore raced down the right, his cross hit Ash Baker and the ball fell to Bonatini who did the rest.
His strike had the double benefit of putting Wolves into the lead early in the second half and turning a dull affair into a far more lively one.
Wanderers then confirmed their winning status when Helder Costa was fouled in the area in the dying minutes, picked himself up and scored from the spot.
From a packed and ecstatic Molineux to an empty and downbeat Hillsborough… the atmosphere could not have been more different for the two Wolves survivors from the thrilling 1-1 draw against Manchester City.
Matt Doherty and Conor Coady were the lucky twosome to be given an EFL Cup treat in South Yorkshire as manager Nuno Espirito Santo brought out the early season rotator.
Wednesday counterpart Jos Luhukay went even further, replacing his entire 11 for the task of knocking out Premier League opposition. Unsurprisingly, the result was a disjointed affair, players with little match time this season trying to shake off the ring rust.
Wolves youngster Morgan Gibbs-White probably had the best chances of the first half but saw one shot cleared by Baker, then aimed a header over the bar from a Romain Saiss free kick.
Gibbs-White hit the headlines as part of England’s victorious Under-17 World Cup team and is a wonderful prospect but the 18-year-old might look back at his weak shot from Leo Bonatini’s pass and cringe.
He made up for it with a raking shot which hit the post in the second half. Traore, making his first start of the season since his £18million move from Middlesbrough, is another of whom big things are expected, especially with his pace.
He certainly grew as the game went on. Once Wolves went ahead, Wednesday, quarter-finalists three years ago, started to play too and it needed John Ruddy to come to the rescue as he saved from an overhead kick by Steven Fletcher and a Fernando Forestieri free kick.
Then Wolves threw on Costa and he duly provided the clincher.
