It was a Thursday night under the lights at the London Stadium, as West Ham welcomed Bournemouth to East London. David Moyes’ side were held to a 2-2 draw at the Premier League’s basement club Sheffield United last time out, while Andoni Iraola’s men sent Swansea City packing from the FA Cup with a 5-0 win over their Championship opponents.
WHU: Areola; Johnson, Mavropanos, Zouma, Emerson; Alvarez, Phillips; Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Kudus; Bowen
BOU: Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kelly; Cook, Christie; Semenyo, Scott, Tavernier; Solanke
A chilly night at the London Stadium started off horrendously for the hosts, as Bournemouth took an early lead inside the third minute – and it’s one that new Hammers signing Kalvin Phillips will not want to watch back.
The ball was played back towards Kurt Zouma, who passed it to Phillips. However, the England man was under increasing pressure from Ryan Christie, and as a result, the ball fell to Dominic Solanke, who notched the ball home past Alphonse Areola – following some VAR intervention.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Cherries could have had a second shortly after Solanke’s goal was awarded, but Marcos Senesi’s volley drifted just wide of the frame of the goal. Lewis Cook also saw an ambitious long-range effort fly just past the far post minutes later.
Antoine Semenyo then tested Areola from the edge of the box, but his wonderful effort was well blocked by Kurt Zouma. Ilya Zabarnyi, however, did force the West Ham goalkeeper into a wonderful save from the resulting corner, as the Ukrainian’s header was kept out from close range.
Bournemouth could have – and should have – been two to the good with under ten minutes of the first half to go, but Antoine Semenyo’s tame shot from Dominic Solanke’s cutback somehow didn’t end up in the West Ham net.
West Ham had been lifeless for the majority of the first half at this point, but their first real chance of the game finally arrived with six minutes to go till the break, as Emerson’s cross in from the left found Jarrod Bowen in the area, but the England international’s header flew just over the bar.
It was a fairly timid start to second half affairs at the London Stadium, with both teams just finding their feet in the game. However, it came to life when, after VAR intervened, West Ham were given a penalty after Mohammed Kudus was brought down by Lloyd Kelly in the box. James Ward-Prowse stepped up to the task from 12 yards out and slotted the ball home past the dive of Neto.
Embed from Getty ImagesBournemouth almost responded in style as Ryan Christie sent a decent low strike towards goal, but the Scotsman’s effort whistled just wide of the far post instead.
Both sides are in league action again this Sunday, with West Ham making the trip up north to Manchester United and Bournemouth visiting Nottingham Forest – both games are 2pm kickoffs.
