For the first time, West Ham find Maxwell Cornet in a good spot and the winger takes on his man in the corner flag. After a bit of trickey, he whips in a cross that lands right on Gianluca Scamacca’s head and the Italian has his first West Ham goal!
A fine strike by Jarrod Bowen! The England man spins his defender, takes a look up and drills his effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards out. A vital goal in the tie. unassisted
Said Benrahma goes on a blistering run down the left and draws the defence before laying off a cross to Michail Antonio, and it’s a simple tap-in for his fellow substitute.
The opening goal arrived after 22 minutes when full-back Ben Johnson fed Tomas Soucek on the right wing and the Czech midfielder's cross was expertly swept home by Gianluca Scamacca at the near post.
West Ham improved markedly and Maxwell Cornet had twice gone close to teeing up Gianluca Scamacca with low crosses before his flick put Said Benrahma through to double the lead on the night with an assured finish.
Tomas Soucek added a third as he bundled home on the rebound after Thilo Kehrer’s header was saved to make it an easy night.
With just 16 minutes of the game remaining Declan Rice found Pablo Fornals in space on the edge of Villa's box. The Spaniard pulled the trigger and a huge deflection resulted in the ball looping over and above Villa 'keeper Emi Martinez into the back of the net.
Key Contributions: Zouma
2 Maxwell Cornet (4 points) 1 Tomas Soucek (3 points) 1 Thilo Kehrer (3 points) 1 Said Benrahma (2 points) 1 Declan Rice (2 points) 0 Vladimir Coufal (1 point) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Aaron Cresswell (1 point) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 1 unassisted goal
Last edited by LeonRivers on Thu Sep 08, 2022 10:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chelsea’s start to the season gets bleaker and their goalkeeping troubles worsen: Michail Antonio pounces on another hapless moment by Edourd Mendy, who flaps at a corner, to turn home Declan Rice's pass from point blank range.
Key Contributions: Bowen, Paquetá
2 Maxwell Cornet (4 points) 2 Declan Rice (4 points) 1 Tomas Soucek (3 points) 1 Thilo Kehrer (3 points) 1 Said Benrahma (2 points) 0 Vladimir Coufal (1 point) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Aaron Cresswell (1 point) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 0 Jarrod Bowen (1 point) 0 Lucas Paquetá (1 point) 1 unassisted goal
A Lucas Paqueta ball into the box sees Tarnovanu come to claim the ball, Maxwell Cornet gets there first, kind of, and both go down. Referee points to the spot. Jarrod Bowen pulls West Ham level, his penalty down the middle leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
West Ham have turned it around! A sustained period of pressure for the home side and the ball is hooked towards Michail Antonio by a FCSB man, and then drops for Emerson, who fires in via the body of the goakeeper.
Brilliant from Michail Antonio and West Ham are there now. Pablo Fornals plays the ball to him and the striker outmuscles his man, turns and sprints towards goal before firing past Târnovanu, who gets a touch but cannot keep it out.
The lead lasted only six minutes before Maxwel Cornet was pushed to the ground by Tobias Salquist and Manuel Lanzini hauled the Hammers level from the penalty spot.
After 25 minutes the visitors had the lead through a Gianluca Scamacca special. Maxwell Cornet intercepted a loose pass and played in the Italian, who let fly from 20 yards with a scorcher which flew high into the net.
Then Craig Dawson, who has been out injured since West Ham's first pre-season friendly, marked his return to the side with the third goal, a trademark header from Aaron Cresswell's corner, eight minutes before half-time.
Key Contributions: Rice, Scamacca (1st goal)
5 Maxwell Cornet (10 points) 2 Declan Rice (6 points) 1 Tomas Soucek (3 points) 1 Thilo Kehrer (3 points) 1 Pablo Fornals (3 points) 1 Aaron Cresswell (3 points) 1 Said Benrahma (2 points) 1 Michail Antonio (2 points) 0 Lucas Paquetá (2 points) 0 Vladimir Coufal (2 points) 0 Jarrod Bowen (2 points) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (2 points) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 1 unassisted goal
What a goal this is! Gianluca Scamacca drives down the left and plays Jarrod Bowen into space with a threaded diagonal pass. Bowen advances towards the box but loses control as he shapes to shoot. Wolves half clear. The ball falls to Scamacca, just to the left of the D. He takes a flick and sends a rising shot towards the top left. Sa had no chance. [unassisted]
Thilo Kehrer takes a shot from distance. The ball balloons up off a defender and drops towards Jarrod Bowen, just inside the box on the right. Bowen takes a touch inside to knock the ball past a spinning, confused Ait-Nouri, and lashes into the bottom right!
Gianluca Scamacca has scored with around ten minutes to go. He controlled Lucas Paqueta's flick, shot across goal and put the ball in. Great finish, huge goal!
Key Contributions: Rice, Emerson, Coufal
5 Maxwell Cornet (10 points) 2 Declan Rice (8 points) 2 Thilo Kehrer (5 points) 1 Lucas Paquetá (5 points) 1 Tomas Soucek (4 points) 1 Pablo Fornals (4 points) 1 Aaron Cresswell (3 points) 1 Said Benrahma (2 points) 1 Michail Antonio (2 points) 0 Jarrod Bowen (3 points) 0 Vladimir Coufal (3 points) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (2 points) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 0 Craig Dawson (1 point) 0 Emerson (1 point) 2 unassisted goal
Last edited by LeonRivers on Thu Oct 13, 2022 10:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Andreas Pereira had received two warnings from referee Chris Kavanagh about manhandling Craig Dawson as Aaron Cresswell prepared to swing over a 29th-minute corner. Inexplicably, Pereira held his arms out wide to block Dawson’s run again. A penalty was the only logical outcome. Bowen sent Leno the wrong way and West Ham were gifted a route back into a contest which the visitors had hitherto dominated.
The impressive Lucas Paqueta chipped the ball forward to Scamacca, whose control involved it bouncing back off his left boot and brushing his right hand before falling to the ground. The Italy striker reacted immediately by cleverly lifting a shot over the advancing Bernd Leno but tellingly didn’t celebrate, fearing that the goal would be disallowed.
Fulham then conceded a third goal in injury-time when Leno and Tim Ream tripped over themselves to allow West Ham substitute Michail Antonio to roll the ball into an empty net after running onto Tomas Soucek’s through ball.
Cracking free kick by Said Benrahma! Pinpoint accuracy, out of the reach of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. West Ham have the lead. [unassisted]
What a hit by Jarrod Bowen, who is picked out by Emerson on the edge of the area and he takes a touch before unleashing an absolute thunderous strike into the back of the net. The goalkeeper had no chance.
Key Contributions: Benrahma (2nd goal)
5 Maxwell Cornet (10 points) 2 Declan Rice (10 points) 2 Lucas Paquetá (7 points) 2 Tomas Soucek (6 points) 2 Thilo Kehrer (5 points) 1 Pablo Fornals (4 points) 1 Aaron Cresswell (4 points) 1 Craig Dawson (3 points) 1 Said Benrahma (3 points) 1 Emerson (3 points) 1 Michail Antonio (2 points) 0 Jarrod Bowen (3 points) 0 Vladimir Coufal (3 points) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (2 points) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 3 unassisted goal
The Hammers have their equaliser! And what a finish it is from Declan Rice to get it. The England midfielder, teed up by substitute Said Benrahma, bends in beautifully from the edge of the box.
Key Contributions: Cresswell
5 Maxwell Cornet (10 points) 2 Declan Rice (10 points) 2 Lucas Paquetá (7 points) 2 Tomas Soucek (6 points) 2 Thilo Kehrer (5 points) 2 Said Benrahma (5 points) 1 Aaron Cresswell (5 points) 1 Pablo Fornals (4 points) 1 Craig Dawson (3 points) 1 Emerson (3 points) 1 Michail Antonio (2 points) 0 Jarrod Bowen (3 points) 0 Vladimir Coufal (3 points) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (2 points) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 3 unassisted goal
West Ham take the lead as a corner is cleared as far as Tomas Soucek who heads it on for Kurt Zouma to glance home.
West Ham are given a penalty as Vladimir Coufal's cross hits the arm of Jordan Zemura, who was sliding with his arms up in the air. Said Benrahma steps up and sends Mark Travers the wrong way for his first Premier League goal of the season.
Key Contributions: none
5 Maxwell Cornet (10 points) 3 Tomas Soucek (8 points) 2 Declan Rice (10 points) 2 Lucas Paquetá (7 points) 2 Thilo Kehrer (5 points) 2 Said Benrahma (5 points) 1 Aaron Cresswell (5 points) 1 Vladimir Coufal (5 points) 1 Pablo Fornals (4 points) 1 Craig Dawson (3 points) 1 Emerson (3 points) 1 Michail Antonio (2 points) 0 Jarrod Bowen (3 points) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (2 points) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 3 unassisted goal
Michail Antonio stretches to meet Said Benrahma's pass and goes down as goalkeeper Nicolai Larsen comes flying out. An unnecessary challenge from the keeper. The resultant penalty is perfectly into the bottom corner from Manuel Lanzini.
Key Contributions: Benrahma
5 Maxwell Cornet (10 points) 3 Tomas Soucek (8 points) 2 Declan Rice (10 points) 2 Lucas Paquetá (7 points) 2 Said Benrahma (6 points) 2 Thilo Kehrer (5 points) 2 Michail Antonio (4 points) 1 Aaron Cresswell (5 points) 1 Vladimir Coufal (5 points) 1 Pablo Fornals (4 points) 1 Craig Dawson (3 points) 1 Emerson (3 points) 0 Jarrod Bowen (3 points) 0 Gianluca Scamacca (2 points) 0 Ben Johnson (1 point) 0 Kurt Zouma (1 point) 3 unassisted goal
Pablo Fornals is in acres of space as Ben Johnson’s long ball forward drops over the defence. He holds off the scrambling home defence and then whips a shot past Stefan Tarnovanu. Great finish.
Divin Mubama dives to meet Vladimir Coufal’s cross and sends a header into the net via a deflection off another home defender.
Pablo Fornals has his second and West Ham a third. It is partly made, though, by Oliver Scarles, who's cross forces the home keeper to flap and push the ball to the Hammers forward. He makes no mistake with his finish. [unassisted]