Impressive West Ham held off by Leverkusen

A battling West Ham performance was undone late on by Bayer Leverkusen as Xabi Alonso’s German champions remained unbeaten this season and still on course for a historic treble. 

LINEUPS

WHU XI: Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma*, Ageurd, Cresswell; Edson Alvarez, Soucek; Bowen, Ward-Prowse, Kudus; Antonio

WHU SUBS: Anang, Knightbridge, Ogbonna, Johnson, Casey, Simon-Swyer, Orford, Cornet, Mubama, Ings

LEV XI: Kovar; Kossounou, Tah*, Hincapie; Stanisic, Palacios, Xhaka, Alex Grimaldo; Tella, Wirtz; Schick

LEV SUBS: Hradecky, Lomb, Tapsoba, Frimpong, Arthur, Puerta, Andrich, Adli, Hofmann, Izekor, Boniface

Action: As was needed, West Ham United, with Jarrod Bowen returning to their eleven, started the game really well and put the Bayer Leverkusen defence under serious pressure.

It was Leverkusen, though, that began to ease their way into the game with a bit more assurance and confidence with Nathan Tella stinging the hands of Lukasz Fabianski with an effort from around 30 yards out.

That was to be Leverkusen’s best chance of the first-half, though, and the newly crowned Bundesliga champions found themselves behind soon after when Michail Antonio beat Matej Kovar to Jarrod Bowen’s excellent cross and the Jamaican international headed into an empty net. 

The Hammers kept up the intense pressure with Mohammed Kudus going close when his effort was deflected and saved on the stretch by former Manchester United ‘keeper Kovar. 

The Irons kept up the intensity and perhaps Leverkusen began to feel it when it ‘kicked off’ on both the touchline and in the middle with West Ham assistant Billy McKinlay sent off from the dugout, whilst both Jonathan Tah and Michail Antonio received yellow cards for their own scuffle.

Billy McKinlay is sent to the stands from the West Ham technical area 🟥

It's kicking off both on and off the pitch in East London!#UEL

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 18, 2024

All the way up until the interval, David Moyes’ men were excellent and smothering the German champions with Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten side struggling to get across the half-way line. 

The half-time interval really did change things, though, with Leverkusen steadying the ship and nullifying the hosts’ momentum, controlling much of the play in the second period.

That said, the Hammers very nearly nipped in and made it all square on aggregate when Piero Hincapie slipped but Jarrod Bowen rushed the opportunity and flashed the ball across goal.

The final 20 minutes was dominated by Jeremie Frimpong with the right wing-back nearly catching Fabianski off guard and forcing a corner from the Pole before then blazing high over the bar when put through on goal and arguably having too much time to deliberate.

The Dutchman did then eventually seal Leverkusen’s progression, though. Drifting into the box, he cut the ball onto his left foot and with the aid of a deflection, pulled Leverkusen back level on the night late on. 

EVENTS

Kick-off

’13 | GOAL: Antonio (1-0)

’45 | INJURY: Ageurd

Half-time

’89 | GOAL: Frimpong (1-1)

Full-time