Three Koreans still alive in Carabao Cup as Wolves make early exit

Wolverhampton Wanderers lost 3-2 to Brighton in an all-Premier League third round Carabao Cup match on Wednesday, crashing out of the 2024-25 tournament.

Brighton's Ferdi Kadioglu, left, scores a goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers during a third round Carabao Cup match on Wednesday at Falmer Stadium in England. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Wolverhampton Wanderers lost 3-2 to Brighton in an all-Premier League third round Carabao Cup match on Wednesday, crashing out of the 2024-25 tournament.

Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan started as a No. 10 in the 4-2-3-1 formation in the fixture at Falmer Stadium in England, but only recorded one shot that went off target until he was substituted off in the 71st minute for Matheus Cunha.

Brighton went in front with Carlos Baleba opening the scoring in the 14th minute, followed by another goal from Simon Adingra in the 31st. Wolves’ Goncalo Guedes pulled one back in the 44th minute, but Ferdi Kadioglu added No. 3 for Brighton in the 85th minute.

Wolves’ Tommy Doyle found the back of the net in stoppage time, but the damage was already done for the visitors.

Wednesday’s loss blew another chance for Hwang to make his first goal contribution of the 2024-25 season. The club’s top scorer last season, with 12 goals in 29 league fixtures, has yet to pick an assist or goal in six fixtures so far this campaign.

The loss also means no potential Korean derby between Wolves' Hwang and Son Heung-min’s Tottenham Hotspur, Kim Ji-soo’s Brentford or Bae Jun-ho's Stoke City in the Carabao Cup.

Both Tottenham and Brentford advanced to the fourth round of the competition, with Spurs beating Coventry 2-1 on Wednesday and Brenford grabbing a 3-1 win over Leyton Orient the day before. Stoke, who play in the Championship, are also through, having beaten League Two side Fleetwood Town on penalties.

The fourth round draw for the Carabao Cup will take place upon the conclusion of the third on Sept. 25. The draw will start after the final third round fixture between Liverpool and West Ham.

Until then, Wolves will be back in Premier League action with the club facing Aston Villa in Birmingham on Saturday.

Over in London, Spurs will face Brentford on the same day in the season's first potential Korean derby.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]