HAMMER’S SAIL THROUGH TO THE UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL AFTER BEATING LYON IN RETURN LEG.
West Ham United progressed to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League (UEL), with a 3-0 win at Olympique Lyonnais making them comfortable 4-1 aggregate victors. A fitting reward for a tremendous display, it is the first time since 1976 that the East London side have reached the last four of a major European competition.
Peter Bosz publicly expressed his dissatisfaction at last week’s 1-1 draw at the London Stadium after Lyon played the second half with a numerical advantage, and his players appeared to heed his words early on. The hosts displayed intensity and determination as they went about their guests, and could have taken the lead within the first five minutes, when Karl Toko Ekambi’s effort crashed against the foot of the post. Toko Ekambi, the UEL’s top scorer this term, was a constant threat, putting the ‘Hammers’ under pressure whenever he gained possession. Moussa Dembélé also had a shot blocked, and it seemed only a matter of time before ‘Les Gones’ would break the deadlock.
Exactly when the flow of the game changed is hard to pinpoint, but it was soon West Ham who were on top. As is so often the case in all competitions, Michail Antonio proved awkward for the opposing defenders to deal with, although it was central defender Craig Dawson who netted the opener, nodding in Manuel Lanzini’s corner from close-range in the 38th minute. Before long, David Moyes’ men were two to the good, as Declan Rice showed impressive composure to side-foot into the back of the net from the edge of the area.
The game was all but over as a contest within three minutes of the restart. Pablo Fornals’ superb through-ball deserved a clinical finish, which is precisely what it got, as Jarrod Bowen drove beyond goalkeeper Julian Pollersbeck to extend his side’s advantage even further. Lyon huffed and puffed as they searched for a miraculous comeback, but their efforts were ultimately in vain, and West Ham never truly looked troubled.
West Ham could hardly have picked a better time to end their run of five consecutive away defeats, and they can now look forward to a two-legged clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, who defeated Barcelona 4-2 on aggregate. Bosz’s job, meanwhile, is increasingly under threat, as Lyon lie a lowly 10th in Ligue 1 and are now out of all cup competitions.
