How Wolves teenager Mane picked apart West Ham

In a stunning display of precocious talent, Wolverhampton Wanderers' 18-year-old sensation, Kofi Mane, dismantled West Ham United's defense in a thrilling Premier League encounter at Molineux Stadium. The Sierra Leonean prodigy, who joined Wolves from the youth academy just months ago, scored a breathtaking hat-trick and provided two assists, propelling his side to a 4-1 victory and igniting talks of a future star in the making.

The match, captured in BBC Sport's exclusive video highlights, showcased Mane's blistering pace, silky dribbling, and clinical finishing from the outset. Barely five minutes in, he latched onto a through-ball from Matheus Cunha, outpacing Nayef Aguerd before chipping the onrushing Alphonse Areola with effortless composure—his first senior goal for the club. West Ham, still reeling, conceded again in the 22nd minute when Mane's pinpoint cross found Hwang Hee-chan, who headed home.

After the break, Mane turned provider once more, slipping a clever pass to Cunha for Wolves' third. Not content to rest on his laurels, the teenager added his second with a curling 25-yard strike in the 67th minute, leaving Areola rooted to the spot. He sealed his hat-trick in stoppage time, rounding off a counter-attack with a cool finish past the despairing Hammers keeper. Jarrod Bowen grabbed a late consolation for West Ham, but it was Mane's show.

Wolves manager Gary O'Neil hailed Mane as "a once-in-a-generation talent," praising his maturity beyond his years. "He picked them apart like a seasoned pro," O'Neil said post-match. Fans and pundits alike are now buzzing: could this be the breakout season that catapults Mane into England squad contention? With such poise against Premier League heavyweights, the teenager's trajectory points skyward. West Ham's David Moyes, meanwhile, bemoaned defensive lapses, urging his backline to learn from the "lesson in destruction."

(Word count: 298)