Sheffield Wednesday 3 West Brom 2 - Late heartbreak after two goal fightback

Sheffield Wednesday clinched a narrow 3-2 win, which they likely earned based on their overall performance. However, Carlos Corberan and his team may be questioning how they didn’t walk away with at least a point after Alex Mowatt leveled the score in the 84th minute. In the end, it was Anthony Musaba from Wednesday who came out on top once again.

Josh Maja scored his seventh goal in as many games this season, pulling one back after the hour mark. This came after Albion's weakest half of the season, during which they fell behind 2-0 by halftime due to an own goal by Darnell Furlong and a header from Josh Windass.

As the first half came to a close, a medical emergency unfolded in the section occupied by away supporters, where an Albion fan required urgent attention for what appeared to be a serious situation. The visiting fans urged for the match to be paused, but officials, adhering to EFL regulations, chose to let the game proceed.

Ultimately, there were only two minutes separating Mowatt's equalizing goal and substitute Musaba's winning strike. Musaba, who had been the standout player when the Owls triumphed 3-0 here in April, scored from a short distance, leading to Corberan’s squad suffering their first league loss of the season - marking just Wednesday's second defeat overall.

Ousmane Diakité, a midfielder recently brought in during the summer, made his first start in the Championship due to worries about the fitness of both Mowatt and Jayson Molumby, who were on the bench.

Malian Diakite, who was signed from TSV Hartberg in Austria, had only made one previous start in the EFL Cup loss against Fleetwood Town. He was in the lineup alongside Uros Racic, who had just earned his first start for the Baggies a week prior.

The guests, along with their revamped midfield, didn't have a strong beginning. It took the home team only eight minutes to take the lead, and by that point, it felt inevitable after Barry Bannan attempted a bold bicycle kick that went over the goal, and several set pieces went without a response.

Albion was easily outmaneuvered in the center of the field, allowing the home team to shift the ball to the left side, where they had a significant advantage in numbers. Bannan passed the ball to left wing-back Johnson, and the cross from the former Kidderminster and Hednesford winger took a big deflection off Furlong, leaving Alex Palmer with no chance to save it.

The visitors took 15 minutes to react, but it seemed they were beginning to find their rhythm when Furlong glanced a header from a John Swift free-kick just over the bar.

However, any hope for a Baggies comeback was quickly dashed shortly after. If the initial goal felt easy, this one was even more surprising. A long pass from deep by Owls defender Akin Famewo somehow enabled Windass to slip past Albion's high defense and stay onside.

Palmer moved to the side of his box, and the ball landed perfectly on Windass' head. With a clever, gentle header, he managed to lob the goalkeeper. The defenders' anxious offside appeals went unheard as the home team celebrated their goal.

The remainder of the first half and the following 90 minutes soon became insignificant, overshadowed by a medical crisis that unfolded in the away section.

Albion supporters were energetically signaling to stewards and officials, and it seemed to take a few minutes for paramedics to reach the rear of the Leppings Lane away section. Meanwhile, Baggies fans were shouting "stop the game" at the referee, who had his hand to his ear, apparently in touch with someone. It looked like some players were aware of what was happening.

The situation lasted about 10 minutes in the away section, where the Albion supporter was given medical attention while the game continued. Recent EFL regulations dictate that in critical situations, it is up to the medical staff in the crowd, the safety team at the stadium, and the match officials to determine whether to stop the game.

Many Albion supporters expressed their frustration on social media regarding the hold-up in getting help for a person who needed attention before they were taken out of the stands just before halftime.

The game was relatively calm on the pitch, but Albion owed a big debt of gratitude to Palmer for making a critical double save before Semi Ajayi headed the ball over the goal just before halftime.

Corberan quickly made a change, bringing Mowatt in for the struggling Diakite. Although Mowatt played well, the substitution didn’t have the intended impact. It wasn't until some additional adjustments were made around the 60-minute mark that Albion started to find their rhythm and play at a higher level.

The head coach brought on Grady Diangana and Mikey Johnston, and Diangana made a significant impact as Albion scored their first goal with 25 minutes remaining in the match.

He skillfully maneuvered past a few obstacles and set up Tom Fellows on the right side. Johnson had been doing well against Fellows up until that moment, but the winger's quick footwork and cross caught the Wednesday defense off guard, and once again, Maja was right there.

The forward made a courageous leap to score his seventh goal in as many matches, reducing the gap.

Despite having some time left, a flurry of opportunities didn't materialize. Johnston and Fellows kept pushing forward with their runs along the sides, but they were effectively contained.

Jed Wallace, who came on with 15 minutes left, had a one-on-one opportunity from a difficult angle that was saved by James Beadle, but the linesman's flag was already up for offside.

It seemed like it might not happen, but with just six minutes left, Mowatt made a surprising comeback by launching a powerful shot from 18 yards. The ball bounced just before reaching the goalkeeper Beadle, who couldn't react in time to stop it.

Albion was hoping for a victory, but just 90 seconds later, the situation took a turn. The ever-reliable Bannan received the ball on the left and delivered a cross to Musaba, who scored.

Sheffield Wednesday (3-4-3): Beadle; Palmer, Famewo, Ihieakwe; Valery, Bannan (captain), Charles, Johnson (Musaba, 70); Windass (Ingelsson, 90), Ugbo (Smith, 70), Kobacki (Lowe, 62).

Players not utilized: Charles, Lowe, Valentin, Otegbayo, Gassama.

Albion lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Pamer in goal. The defense included Furlong, Ajayi (who was substituted by Frabotta in the 82nd minute), Bartley serving as captain, and Heggem. In midfield, Diakite was replaced by Mowatt at halftime, while Racic made way for Johnston in the 60th minute. The attacking trio featured Swift, with Fellows being substituted by Wallace in the 75th minute, Maja, and Grant, who was replaced by Diangana also in the 60th minute.

Unused substitutes: Wildsmith, Holgate, and Molumby.