QUEEN ELIZABETH II (1922-2022)
West Ham 3 FCSB 1
This was always going to be a football match remembered for being where fate placed us on the evening of the death of our sovereign, Elizabeth II. On a rude, miserable rainy day, the fans who attended this evening game carried all the appearance of a swarm of drowned rats. There were more away fans in the crowd than usual, as unsold tickets had gone on general sale a couple of days earlier, and had been snatched up by many from the local Romanian community.
West Ham have been drawn against Romanian sides in four of their previous six European adventures, three of the Eastern European outfits knocking the Hammers out over two legs and the other, Politehnica Timisoara, offering little resistance, losing 4-1 over two legs in 1980.
The match programme from the 4-0 win at Upton Park in October 1980 features this memorable paragraph from PA announcer Bill Remfry: ‘If I were to describe to you a country that grows maize, wheat, barley and oats; that raises sheep, cattle, pigs and horses; that has natural resources of oil and gas; and whose people are experts at brewing, distilling and flour milling; you might think I was describing the United Kingdom… but in fact this also is Romania.’
What an amazing piece of writing, I hear you mutter. Yes, you won’t see a single semi-colon in the programme these days, but four in one paragraph from that era, one for every goal West Ham scored that night, that’s quite something.
Tonight, for the first time in a while, there is no threat of an exit at the hands of Romanian opposition, as Hammers are opening their group section of the competition, and have five other games to play catch up if things go wrong tonight. As they soon do. Andrei Cordea puts FCSB a goal up after Emerson, chasing back after one advanced foray too many, leaves him unattended at the far post to slot home Darius Olaru’s low pinpoint cross.
The ailing Gianluca Scamacca is leading the line tonight after his brief layoff with a strength-sapping virus. He is half a stone short of his target weight, and misses two clear chance headers from deep crosses. The cross that he finally gets on the end of with his foot is scuffed wide of the far post with the goalkeeper rooted to the spot. He is assisted up front tonight by Maxwel Cornet who he accidentally kicks in the head when trying for a spectacular aerial finish. It’s the best contact he has in the box for the whole of the first half.
Hammers have failed to get a single shot on target so far, but Flynn Downes has impressed as have Ogbonna and Rice playing out of defence.
Half-time by the tea urn is a solemn affair, the lack of chances taken and a poor goal conceded only adding to the funereal press room atmosphere. I watch the replay of the goal on the screens with the other journalists, without comment.
My match notes have turned to sludge in the oozing rain, and when West Ham start the second half determined to change things with three substitutes, Bowen, Paquetà and Antonio, I abandon efforts to record the event by pen, opting for a later amendment. Scamacca is off to grab a large bowl of pasta the club dietician has thoughtfully provided. Also off are Lanzini and Benrahma, none of them able to instil the magic necessary to create the kind of first half chances that might have generated a West Ham goal.
The substitutions need to work some kind of magic, as a reverse at this stage of the competition would reinforce the notion of Romanian hoodoo, as well as compound the damp squib one league win start to the season. And damp it remains, as the rain teems down, and FCSB continue to press high in the early minutes of the second half. Ogbonna is booked for a late tackle followed by a series of desperate defensive blocks as the shots rain in.
Moyes has gambled on the force and speed of Bowen’s runs to change things. Last year’s European exploits owed a lot to his pace and power. Perhaps this can help West Ham get something out of this game.
Ten minutes into the second half and Ogbonna fouls again. The crowd holds its breath. No red card. Emerson gets booked for his challenge on the goalscorer Cordea. FCSB push forward in search of a second. You get the feeling that the season may well depend on something changing, and changing now. If it would just stop raining, that would be something. Dawa has been immense for FCSB at the back, breaking down every West Ham move. He has something of the Zouma about him. Lumbering in appearance but immense, blocking and distributing with precision.
An hour gone and still nothing on target. Nothing on target in the next half hour will mean defeat. But at least it’s finally stopped raining. The captain Coman has been an inspiration in midfield, with neat passes and holding up play very much a part of the Romanians’ impressive handling of their London opponents.
And then, in the 64th minute, a hopeful ball into the area from Paquetà sees the FCSB keeper Târnovanu jumping up to grab the cross in a challenge with Cornet, for which he is penalised, and West Ham have a penalty. Like Mendy before him, Târnovanu writhes around on the ground, but with no VAR, the decision is not changed. Cornet is also injured in the challenge, and comes off for Pablo Fornals.
Jarrod Bowen is taking the penalty, and he’s had five minutes to think about where he’s going to put it. Thankfully it proves to be West Ham’s first shot on target in the game, high into the roof of the net. Finally, after a seventy minute wait. Will it make a difference? You bet.
Within five minutes Hammers are ahead and it’s Emerson, with his first goal for West Ham, atoning for his first half error. The left back joins the attack after Fornals and then Bowen put crosses in, and Emerson finally rifles the loose ball home.
It’s raining heavily again now, but Hammers have the lead. A mistake from Emerson lets Cordea in, but Ogbonna is immense and blocks his effort, clearing the ball in the process. At the other end, Fornals’ powerful effort is beaten out, but Antonio can’t compose himself quickly enough to pocket the rebound.
Two minutes later Fornals links up with Antonio and hits in another powerful shot, which Târnovanu saves well. Antonio is working on Dawa who is now beginning to tire and has a spot of cramp by the corner flag after a long chase with the Hammers’ striker.
As FCSB threaten again, Rice and Fornals play the ball out of defence sublimely with a one touch expertise clearly mastered at the training ground. Dawa is substituted with three minutes left for Denis Harut, a blue-shirted Schwarzenegger. Rice wins back possession from a tired ball out of defence and Hammers break in the final minute. The captain’s pass frees Fornals whose back heel finds Antonio in space, and the striker hits home beyond the keeper’s desperate dive.
There are six additional minutes, but the addition of the returning Craig Dawson ensures that they offer no significant challenge, and Hammers are home and hosed in a game that for 70 minutes they had looked destined to lose. The old guard have proved the match guarantee, and on the day the Queen died, the West Ham fans have been given the chance to cheer home both her memory, and their team.
13 Alphonse Ariola, 5 Vladimir Coufal, 33 Emerson, 21 Angelo Ogbonna, 12 Flynn Downes, 24 Thilo Kehrer, 41 Declan Rice (captain), 14 Maxwel Cornet, 10 Manuel Lanzini, 7 Gianluca Scamacca, 22 Saïd Benrahma
Substitutes: 9 Michail Antonio, 11 Lucas Paquetà, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 8 Pablo Fornals, 15 Craig Dawson
Goalscorers: Jarrod Bowen, Emerson, Michail Antonio.
