FRANKFURT BEAT 10 MAN WEST HAM AS THEIR EUROPEAN DREAM ENDS IN FRANKFURT.
No team has ever won a Europa League semi-final after losing the first leg at home and West Ham United were no exception as Eintracht Frankfurt overcame a valiant ‘Hammers’ side 3-1 on aggregate.
Despite an electric atmosphere, West Ham were able to contain a seemingly overawed Eintracht Frankfurt, but that was all undone in the 19th minute when a long ball over the top caught out Aaron Cresswell, who in desperation appeared to drag down Jens Petter Hauge. Initially, the Englishman was only given a yellow, but after a quick check on the pitchside monitor, the referee upgraded the punishment and gave Cresswell his marching orders.
The sending off completely changed the flow of the first half and just seven minutes later, Frankfurt were ahead. Attacking down the right-hand side sans Cresswell, Ansgar Knauff charged to the byline before pulling back for the advancing Rafael Borré to finish low beyond Alphonse Areola, making it 1-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.
Adversity aside, Michail Antonio courageously led the line for West Ham as he continued to make himself a nuisance up front throughout, having one cleared off the line in the first half. Tempers began to flair late in the game, with David Moyes also seeing red for aggressively kicking the ball at the Frankfurt bench in an obvious display of frustration.
The Scot and his West Ham side can be extremely proud of their debut campaign in the Europa League, but game 53 of the season proved a step too far, especially with only 10 men on the field, and it was Frankfurt who maintained their season-long unbeaten record in Europe to reach their first European final in 42 years.
