West Ham Utd 3-0 NK Domzale (4-2 agg)

  • by Staff Writer
  • Friday, 5th August 2016

After many months of legal wrangling, bitter disputes and much public outrage, the Olympic Stadium finally opened its doors to West Ham United tonight.

And Slaven Bilic's side marked the occasion fittingly, securing passage to the Europa League play-offs with a comfortable 3-0 win over Slovenian PrvaLiga outfit NK Domzale.




The stadium, (nearly) fully clad in claret and blue was a sight to see upon approach and was given an overwhelming seal of approval by supporters, many of whom were taking their first glimpse of the arena.

A packed house of some 54,000 had to wait just eight minutes to see Cheikhou Kouyate book his place in the annals of Hammers history when he back-heeled Sam Byram's low centre over the line.




That goal proved to be pivotal, for it not only gave West Ham the advantage in the tie - on away goals, courtesy of Mark Noble's penalty in the first leg, a 2-1 defeat - but it gave Bilic's side the impetus to take the game to their opponents.

For that they were rewarded midway through the half when Kouyate added his second of the night; Michail Antonio's deep cross was nodded into the path of the Senegal international, who stroked it beyond Domzale 'keeper Maraval.




The visitors had posed little threat to West Ham but still required only one goal at that stage to take the game into extra time. Darren Randolph, in for regular #1 Adrian was forced into action once or twice as the game wore on but was never genuinely threatened.

So with the game entering its final ten minutes it was left to new signing Sofiane Feghouli to wrap up the win with a well-taken drive, the result of a superb through ball from Mark Noble. Take note, Big Sam...


West Ham Utd 3-0 NK Domzale: match facts

West Ham Utd: Randolph, Antonio, Oxford, Reid, Byram, Noble, Nordtveit, Kouyate (Obiang 79), Feghouli (Quina 88), Carroll (Fletcher 90), Valencia.

Subs not used: Adrian, Burke, Page, Cullen.

Booked: Antonio, Feghouli, Valencia.

Goals: Kouyate (8, 25), Feghouli (81).

NK Domzale: Maraval, Brachi, Dobrovoljc, Horic, Balkovec, Morel, Horvat (Husmani 62), Majer (Juninho 77), Crnic, Alvir, Mance (Brantanovic 68).

Subs not used: Milic, Vetrih, Repas, Blazic.

Booked: Crnic, Balkovec, Horic.

Referee: Fredy Fautrel (France).

Man of the match: Cheikhou Kouyate.

Attendance: 54,000 - a new club record


West Ham Utd 3-0 NK Domzale: highlights

See all three goals from West Ham's first ever game at the Olympic Stadium


Europa League: what's next?

For West Ham, a place in the next round awaits; their opponents will be determined in Friday's draw. Their possible opponents are as follows, ties will take place on 18 and 25 August.

Rosenborg (NOR); Astana (KAZ); Astra Giurgiu (ROU); Hajduk Split (CRO); Arouca (POR); Grasshopper (SUI); AEK Larnaca (CYP); Vojvodina (SRB); Istanbul Basaksehir (TUR); Brondby (DEN); Red Star Belgrade (SRB); Osmanlispor (TUR); Slavia Prague (CZE); IFK Goteborg (SWE); Dinamo Tiblisi (GEO); Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO); AS Trencin (SRB); Gabala (AZE); Beitar Jerusalem (ISR); SonderjyskE (DEN); Shkendija Tetovo (MAC); Partizani Tirana (ALB).

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