FRISSON OF BIG SAM
West Bromwich Albion 1 West Ham 3
Darren Randolph plays only his fifth game for West Ham United as a result of Fabianski’s injury in the warm-up, but the news that Spurs have lost to Aston Villa earlier this evening means West Ham only need four points from their last two games to secure a Europa League place next season.
West Ham have a penalty after 39 seconds after Sam Johnstone brings Michail Antonio down. Rice hits the post when he finally takes it after 105 seconds, and the ball rebounds out to safety. I write these words in disbelief as the first crowd at the Hawthorns for over a year cheer raucously. It’s the earliest ever missed penalty in Premier League. Declan Rice, take a bow tie.
West Ham have a club record 17 wins this season but have only won one game from the last five. On twelve minutes Benrahma hits a dipping volley beauty that Johnstone flaps a hand at to send it up and away for a corner. Scored at Brighton, maybe up for another tonight.
The more West Ham go on without scoring in this game, the more that missed penalty will start looking like an open sore. On 26 minutes Pereira hits in a curling in swinging corner which Souček heads beyond Randolph for his third own goal of the season. Classy.
The first half begins to change shape as West Brom build on their lead with intelligent passing, and Pereira looking more and more dangerous. Randolph makes one brilliant save from a deflected shot off Cresswell to keep the lead at just 1-0.
In injury time West Ham scramble an equaliser with a low cross from Benrahma poked home by Soucek, making Mr.Moyes’ interim chat a little more seasoned. The Baggies are down, but so are Sheffield United, and they beat Everton at Goodison at the weekend.
West Brom don’t appear to have had their mojo stolen however and the first ten minutes of the second half keep Hammers on their heels. Whilst a point is better than none, the opposition have conceded over 70 goals this season and were relegated a fortnight ago.
The game starts to take on Keystone Kops end to end madness before Cresswell hits a 65th minute curling effort that provides West Ham with a PL season record twenty-third strike against the woodwork. The curl in that effort was mesmeric, but needed another few inches to cannon off the post and into the back of Johnstone’s net.
In the 68th minute club £18m record signing Grady Diangana comes on for West Brom, followed by Bowen for West Ham bizarrely replacing Benrahma, who has probably been West Ham’s most productive player of the game. What can the last twenty minutes produce?
Fornals gets on the end of a through ball from Bowen but Johnstone smothers his effort away. From the corner Ogbonna arrives late for a superb powerful 82nd minute header to push West Ham into the lead, a goal not unlike his winner against Leeds back in December.
Minutes later Lingard sets up Antonio for a late third. A goal difference of +12 looks good, and must be making a relieved man of Declan Rice.
Not too much drama without Benrahma, but a decent win in the end for West Ham Bam Thank You Big Sam. Europe, the first home crowd of 2021 and a best-ever Premier League season all beckon.
35 Darren Randolph, 15 Craig Dawson, 3 Aaron Cresswell, 5 Vladimir Coufal, 21 Angelo Ogbonna, 41 Declan Rice (Captain), 28 Tomas Souček, 9 Saïd Benrahma, 18 Pablo Fornals, 11 Jesse Lingard, 30 Michail Antonio
Substitutes: 20 Jarrod Bowen, 23 Issa Diop, 7 Andriy Yarmolenko
Scorers: Tomas Souček, Angelo Ogbonna, Michail Antonio.
