In a game which looked destined to end goalless, after both teams had huffed and puffed for 90 minutes, Wolves had one final trick up their sleeve and Leo Bonatini laid in Traore to fire home his first goal in gold and black.
After two draws in the opening three games, Wolves were worthy of their victory, which could have been secured easier had Bonatini and Raul Jimenez not passed up chances to put the visitors in front earlier.
Rui Patricio produced brilliant saves to deny Michail Antonio and Marko Arnautovic, and his efforts proved invaluable as Traore sent the travelling 3,000 supporters into raptures, cooling slotting home to earn all three points.
Quickly accustoming themselves to new surroundings, Wolves got the first shot on goal away in the opening minute, but Jimenez’s ambitious effort dropped harmlessly wide of Lukasz Fabianski’s goal.
West Ham’s response was instant however and Felipe Anderson called Patricio into early action, with the goalkeeper saving well to his right, before Willy Boly cleared away Arnautovic’s cut back.
It was Wolves looking the more confident in possession however, and when Helder Costa set up Matt Doherty, the right-wing back’s well-struck effort needed pushing over the bar by Fabianski.
In truth, the remainder of the half didn’t live up to the start, with the final ball of both teams letting down the action, highlighted as Robert Snodgrass fired into the side netting.
The Scot then watched his free-kick, carelessly given away by Boly, hit the Wolves wall, while at the other end the visitors passed up the chance of the half as Joao Moutinho clipped a cross onto the head of Diogo Jota who couldn’t keep his effort down.
With the break approaching, Wolves continued to ask questions and when Jota and Jimenez exchanged passes, the latter hit a shot wide as half-time concluded an uneventful opening 45 minutes.
Half-time: West Ham 0 Wolves 0
The hosts came out for the second period with renewed vigour and Fabian Balbuena should have given them the lead when finding acres of space to head Anderson’s corner into the ground and over Patricio’s crossbar.
Patient build-up play, with Jack Wilshere at the heart of it, then created the next opening but Wolves stood firm not to let Arnautovic force his way through to open the scoring.
The West Ham belief grew with every opportunity. Next, Yarmolenko hung a cross up to the back post where Antonio met it with a looping header, only to be denied by a clawing save from Patricio.
However, Wolves were far from being outplayed and in fact should have led when Moutinho’s free-kick was headed into the arms of Fabianski by an unmarked Jimenez.
Having made an impact in each of his Wolves appearances so far, Traore was given half an hour to alter proceedings Wolves’ way at the London Stadium, taking the place of Diogo Jota.
Bonatini, fresh from his first goal of the season on Tuesday night, then followed onto the pitch for Costa and he instantly had an opportunity to give his side the lead, but after connecting firmly with Jimenez’s shot, the Brazilian was denied by a fine Fabianski save.
With both sides sensing a victory, West Ham’s Pedro Obiang fired a shot wide, while Wolves wasted the best opportunity yet. Ruben Neves sent Doherty scampering down the right and his low cross was on a plate for Jimenez, who couldn’t sort his feet to convert.
West Ham had their own massive opportunity in the closing stage, but after turning Conor Coady, Arnautovic’s powerful shot was kept out by the face of Patricio.
Four additional minutes came and almost went, but Wolves had a sucker punch in their locker. Neves was the architect, winning the ball in midfield before Moutinho fed Bonatini, who timed his pass for Traore perfectly and watched his teammate fire beyond Fabianski to earn three massive points on the road.
Full-time: West Ham 0 Wolves 1
Fabianski, Fredericks, Balbuena, Diop, Cresswell, Sanchez, Wilshere (Obiang 64), Antonio (Hernandez 75) , Anderson, Snodgrass (Yarmolenko 46), Arnautovic.
Unused subs: Adrian, Zabaleta, Rice, Noble.
Wolves: Patricio, Doherty, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Otto, Neves, Moutinho, Costa (Bonatini 72), Jota (Traore 61), Jimenez (Vinagre 87).
Unused subs: Ruddy, Hause, Saiss, Gibbs-White.
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh
Attendance: 56, 947
