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Carlos Sanchez's chances of appearing in West Ham's first team look slim - but he was able to play an important role on Tuesday night as the Under 23s won a penalty shootout in their Premier League International Cup quarter-final at Derby.

Dmitri Halajko's on-form Hammers also fielded Andriy Yarmolenko as one of their permitted over 23s and led twice during normal time before being forced into extra time, after the PL2 Division 1 side fought back to level the scores at 3-3.




But with no further goals scored in the additional time, the tie went to penalties - which West Ham won, in sudden death, 6-5.

Bernardo Rosa, Harrison Ashby and Mesaque Dju found the net before Mipo Odubeko's effort was saved by Rams 'keeper Matt Yates - which atoned for team mate Cameron Cresswell's miss moments earlier.

Former Hammer Jahmal Hector-Ingram then had a chance to win the tie for Derby after Xande Silva missed the target, but his effort rebounded off the crossbar - forcing the shootout into sudden death.

Forgotten man Sanchez cooly despatched his spot kick to restore West Ham's advantage before Jordan Brown (not the former Hammer) scored to make it 4-4. Then, Hammers skipper Tunji Akinola and County's Festy Ebosele both registered.

Josh Okotcha was next up for West Ham and put his spot kick into the top corner to give the Irons a 6-5 lead - and that was enough for the Hammers to progress to the semi finals after Joseph Anang saved Tyree Wilson's effort.

"I thought we got what we deserved in the end," manger Halajko told whufc.com. "It took a long time to get there, but we were the better team.

"We started very, very well, then they came back into it and we had a player sent off. So I think we had everything really go against us. Then we got through to extra time and finally got we deserved when we got to penalties."




Oladapo Afolayan (2) had initially given West Ham a two goal advantage inside the opening ten minutes before the Rams levelled through Jahmal Hector-Ingram (from the penalty spot) and Jordan Brown.

Bernardo Rosa restored West Ham's lead but United were forced into extra time by a second goal from Hector-Ingram, who joined Derby last year having spent 14 years at West Ham, just seven minutes from the end of normal time.

West Ham will face Arsenal in the semi final of the competition; the date of that tie is yet to be confirmed.

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