West Ham fought valiantly but exited the UEFA Europa League at the quarter-final stage with a 3-1 aggregate loss to Bayer Leverkusen. David Moyes’ side looked set to end the German champions’ unbeaten run thanks to Michail Antonio’s first-half opener until Jeremie Frimpong struck late on to secure the visitors’ place in the last four. Xabi Alonso’s men remain on course for a historic treble.West Ham produced a valiant display but ultimately came up short as Bayer Leverkusen substitute Jeremie Frimpong struck in the dying seconds to earn the newly crowned German champions a UEFA Europa League semi-final spot with a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.
After winning the first leg of the quarter-final 2-0 last Thursday, the unbeaten Bundesliga champions endured a torrid first period before recovering strongly to equalise on 89 minutes when Frimpong’s deflected shot flew off Aaron Cresswell and beyond helpless home goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
West Ham had dominated the first period and deservedly moved ahead on 13 minutes when Michail Antonio rose bravely to power a header into the net from a delightful Jarrod Bowen cross into the heart of the visiting area with goalkeeper Matej Kovar slow to react.But they ran out of steam after half-time as visiting coach Xabi Alonso made several changes to steady matters with Leverkusen deservedly progressing to a semi-final meeting with Roma.
Leverkusen remain on course for a historic treble of league, German Cup and UEFA Europa League with the club’s first Bundesliga crown already in the bag.It looked like Leverkusen might finally suffer their first defeat since going down 3-0 at Bochum on May 27 last year as West Ham produced a rousing first-half performance without finding the crucial equaliser.
But Alonso’s remarkable side do not appear to know the meaning of losing, and certainly do not accept it with Frimpong’s late equaliser extending their remarkable sequence of results to 44 matches undefeated.
Roma will be the next side to try to inflict a meaningful loss on them when they meet in the semi-finals after edging a 1-0 aggregate win over the German side at the same stage of the UEFA Europa League last year.
But judging by their ability to cope with pressure in hostile surroundings, Leverkusen will take some stopping this time.Brings so much to this West Ham side on the big occasion. Ran himself into the ground, provided the cross for Antonio’s opening goal and posed Leverkusen so many problems with his appetite to perform symbolic of the home side’s attitude to press space all over the pitch.
West Ham: Fabianski 7, Aguerd 7, Zouma 7, Cresswell 7, Coufal 7, Soucek 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Alvarez 7, Kudus 7, Bowen 8, Antonio 8 Subs: Ogbonna 6, Johnson 6, Cornet 6
Bayer Leverkusen: Kovar 7, Stanisic 6, Tah 6, Hincapie 6, Kossounou 5, Palacios 7, Xhaka 8, Grimaldo 7, Wirtz 7, Tella 6, Schick 5 Subs: Andrich 6, Tapsoba 6, Adli 7, Boniface 7, Frimpong 7
13′ GOAL! (ANTONIO) WEST HAM 1-0 BAYER LEVERKUSEN What a brilliant goal for the home side. So good and brave from Michail Antonio to power the header into the net from the superb Bowen cross ahead of Kovar as he came out. That is a magical goal. Game on. West Ham bang in the hunt now.
26′ GLORIOUS CHANCE FOR THE EQUALISER Bowen with a brilliant volley at the Leverkusen goal, but Kovar uses his legs to make an excellent block. Superb from West Ham. So unfortunate not to be level at 2-2.
32′ IS THIS THREATENING TO BOIL OVER? A member of the visiting technical area has been sent off before Antonio and Tah are booked as they wrestled for the ball. Off the ball. West Ham well pumped up for this.
83′ LEVERKUSEN BLOW CHANCE TO WIN IT A dreadful finish by Frimpong as he speeds in on the home goal, but lifts the finish miles over from the Boniface pass. What a golden chance that was. Alonso can’t believe it. Who’d be a manager?
89′ GOAL! WEST HAM 1-1 BAYER LEVERKUSEN 1 (FRIMPONG) And that is surely that. Frimpong with a shot at goal. Takes a wicked deflection off Cresswell and nestles in the net. No chance for Fabianski. The German champions 3-1 clear on aggregate.