CORNET’S MISSED PENALTY DENIES BURNLEY AN AWAY WIN AGAINST WEST HAM.
Tomáš Souček’s second-half goal cancelled out Wout Weghorst’s opener in a 1-1 draw with West Ham United to leave Burnley three points adrift of survival in Michael Jackson’s first game in charge.
Without Sean Dyche in the dugout for the first time in 10 years, Burnley had it all to do in their bid for survival against a West Ham side fresh off the back of reaching their first European semi-final in 46 years. With that recent form in mind, it was the hosts who came closest to an opening goal in the early stages when Jarrod Bowen picked up a loose second ball from an initial corner before being denied by Nick Pope’s superb diving save. The West Ham pressure continued as Burnley were pinned back in their own half, before the game was brought to a halt after Ashley Westwood’s serious injury.
Although in unfortunate circumstances, the break in play turned out to be exactly what the ‘Clarets’ needed. Weghorst headed home his second Premier League goal to give Burnley the lead in the 33rd-minute after Jay Rodriguez’s initial header slammed off the crossbar. The momentum of the game then flipped on its head, leading to a chance for the visitors to double their lead when Maxwel Cornet sprinted in behind, before Łukasz Fabiański swept the winger’s feet away. With just the keeper to beat, however, Cornet sent his spot-kick wide of the right-hand post.
Having failed to score in five of their last eight league games against Burnley, West Ham had a difficult task in the second half. Their luck in front of goal against the ‘Clarets’ persisted, with Michail Antonio guilty of spurning two headed chances, before Declan Rice also glanced wide when connecting with Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick. The ‘Hammers’ continued to pile on the pressure, however, and soon got their reward courtesy of Souček, who chested home Manuel Lanzini’s set-piece in the 74th minute.
Both sides went in pursuit of a winning goal, with three points crucial to their ambitions at the opposite ends of the table, but neither side could find the back of the net, mostly thanks to Pope’s heroics to deny Antonio late on. The draw leaves Burnley lingering in 18th, whilst West Ham sit seventh – two points adrift of the top six having played two games more than 6th-placed Arsenal.
