Tomas Soucek clinches late victory, propelling West Ham into the Europa League knockout stage against Serbian team Backa Topola.
David Moyes’ team delivered a lackluster performance, managing only one shot on target until Tomas Soucek connected with Maxwel Cornet’s cross, marking his fifth goal in the past five games for both club and country.
Soucek’s recent scoring streak includes three consecutive winning goals for West Ham, all occurring after the 88th minute.
His goal extends West Ham’s scoring streak to 20 consecutive European games, boasting 18 wins and just one loss.
This victory places Moyes’ squad at the top of Group A. A single point against Freiburg on December 14th will secure their top spot, avoiding a playoff in February against a team finishing third in their Champions League group.
“We’re thrilled at West Ham that we’re going to play in Europe after Christmas time for the third season,” said Moyes.
“Even playing Freiburg in the last game to win the group is hugely important. But I’d have taken this at the start of the season. If you’d said we’ll finish second I’d have taken that.”
“Freiburg are a good side and we are going to have to play well.”
Hammers’ squad depth to be tested
Over the past two years, West Ham has experienced numerous memorable European nights. However, despite the late-game triumph, this particular match is unlikely to be remembered among them.
The team’s performance was often sluggish and ponderous, possibly attributed to the seven changes made by Moyes from their Premier League victory against Burnley on Saturday.
This match marks the commencement of a stretch of 10 games across three competitions before the year’s end. The below-par display may raise concerns for Moyes, as he is likely to rely on squad depth throughout this demanding period.
Injuries to key players Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio are setbacks, underscoring the need for increased contributions from other senior team members.
Said Benrahma managed the only shot on target prior to the goal, but had a relatively quiet performance. Danny Ings, entering the game midway through the second half, is currently enduring the longest goal drought of his career, spanning 24 games.
Maxwel Cornet, brought on as a substitute, delivered a delightful cross for the decisive goal. Both Cornet and Moyes are optimistic that this moment could ignite Cornet’s West Ham career.
Despite reaching the Europa League semi-finals in 2022 and winning the Europa Conference League last season, securing a third consecutive season in European knockout football signifies continued progress for Moyes. However, it also prompts questions about the available options for West Ham.
“We made a few changes, some with illness, we were always going to try some other players tonight to give them game time,” added Moyes.
“We scored two late goals to beat Burnley and as a manager sometimes it’s good to win a game late.”