Archive for September 22, 2023
European Football Is Back
Before Thursday’s start into West Ham’s third consecutive European campaign, manager David Moyes urged his side to create more “magical moments” to match those experienced over the last two seasons – and most prominently in the 2022-23 with that famous win in the Conference League final in Prague.
But this night under the lights at London Stadium in front of a 41,374 attendance will hardly by dubbed a magical one. West Ham made it difficult for themselves, gifting their Serbian opponents Backa Topola a 1-0 lead at half time, and it took the Hammers more than sixty minutes until the score was level.
West Ham boss David Moyes who made nine changes from his starting XI from the weekend, will be pleased with the way his team were able to wrestle back control of the game and take the points after first-half frustration and the wobble following Ogbonna’s error.
“They played really deep, we found it hard to break them down, they filled the box quite well,” Moyes told TNT Sports. “And when we did get chances it was kicked away or blocked.
“Truth is, we’ve been doing that to some teams recently so I’m quite glad the players got to see it from another side.”
Truth is the Hammers found it difficult to use their dominance and lacked what was required to open up an opponent prioritising a point and packing their own box to that end.
It was a deserved win in the end, said Moyes and added: “The big thing was we fought back, stuck at it, got the goals in the end and got a positive result.”
David Moyes especially hailed summer signing Mohammed Kudus (right) for inspiring West Ham to their comeback victory and sparing Angelo Ogbonna’s blushes.
Kudus, the Ghana winger signed from Ajax for £38 million, marked his first start by scoring the second goal four minutes after forcing the equaliser, Petar Stanic having capitalised on Ogbonna’s howler to give Serbian outfit TSC a shock lead.
Tomas Soucek headed in a late third to ensure West Ham got off to a winning start in Europa League Group A, having qualified as Europa Conference League winners.
Ghana winger Kudus will claim the headlines, but Ward-Prowse was the architect of the Hammers comeback. His two deadly, whipped corners quietly and efficiently taking him to five assists in just five games since joining the club from Southampton in the summer.
West Ham’s success in Europe last season came with a perfect home record – seven wins out of seven.
It wasn’t easy, but they’ve continued that form and will go to Freiburg for their second game on October 5 as Group A leaders, with the German side second after winning 3-2 at Olympiakos.
EXTRA TIME 
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