Hammers come from behind to keep dream of first major trophy since 1980
I hope everyone is safe and well.
I’m finally catching up with all my editing from some recent matches. After this the last one to do is our wonderful win against Manchester United. The Marshes enjoyed a half term break on the Isle of Wight and I must say it felt like being somewhere in the Mediterranean with the hot weather and some of the landscape. Only previously been on a day trip, but we hired a caravan and had a few adventures throughout the week – the highlight being tree climbing! We climbed so high, nearly reaching the sky! Totally worth a go if you’re looking for something outside the usual holiday activity.
Back to the football and European matches under the lights this season has indeed been a dream come true, despite a torrid Premier League season, and results in the ECL have sent us all home daring to believe we can lift our first major trophy since 1980.
But by half time it looked as if Rejinder’s opener for AZ had our dreams of reaching the final in Prague on the 7th June fading away as the Hammers struggled to find a way to get back into the game, despite some clear opportunities for us to score.
The second half started just as frustratingly for the home side, but this did not dampen the crowd, who stood throughout the match and spurred the players on to try and turn the tie around. And what a turn around we saw.
Former Brighton goal keeper carelessly punched Jarrod Bowen in the face from a Paqueta cross into the box and as the Hammers players appealed for a penalty the ref took no time to point to the spot. Up steps Benrahma to take the resulting penalty kick, with Ryan doing his best to unsettled the Hammers’ star but was unable to stop a powerful shot into the corner.
1-1 and the crowd are in full voice and dreaming of a come back to take away in the second leg at AFAS Stadium on 18th June. The Hammers have done it before and indeed did it again in front of an ecstatic home crowd. West Ham by now were pressing hard for a winner and it came 15mins from time as Rice chips in a lovely ball, sent loose by Nayef Aguerd’s initial header that was blocked by Yukinarii Sugawara and hit home from close range by Michail Antonio. 2-1!
If there was a roof on the London Stadium, it would have surely been sent skyward as the volume of the crowd celebrating a wonderful comeback reverberated into the night. This is what European football is all about, a hard fought comeback, excellent performance from Benrahma, who frustrates at times, but his direct running unsettled the AZ defence, forcing Ryan to a finger tip save early on that could have given the hosts the lead, and his composure in front of goal for a confidently taken penalty.
We must also recognise Antonio’s late form this season and the constant threat that Bowen offers up front and add to this the ever present Rice, who even on an average day offers the team so much with his tackling, confidence in defensive duties as well as his passing and forward runs, you wonder why we have struggled all season!
But Moyes sums it up and puts the tie into perspective when he said after the match:
“I’m pleased we’ve got ourselves in front, which is a big thing. It was a difficult night. I hugely believe we’ve got a big resilience here, through the club, through the team, and we’ve needed it. We have a big job to do next week.”
We already know how that went and whatever the outcome of the final in Prague against Fiorentina on 7th June, we have had some wonderful nights under the lights this season. Let’s hope we can finish the job and finally lift a major trophy to send us back into the Europa League next season.
Enjoy my photos from the match
Take care everyone
Dawud
From the Stands 