16 minutes of mayhem
Incredible Ings cameo silences the boos
DANNY INGS had not scored in the Premier League since February 2023, but his 16-minute cameo here could have ended with a hat-trick.
On as a substitute in the 82nd minute, the West Ham striker saw a goal ruled out for offside, scored a stoppage-time equaliser and nearly won it with a longrange effort that hit the bar.
The Hammers had been booed off at half-time after David Datro Fofana’s thunderbolt and an own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos had given Burnley a 2-0 lead. But a stirring secondhalf performance, with Lucas Paqueta halving the deficit before Ings’ equaliser against his former club, ensured honours were even.
West Ham boss David Moyes was left rueing his side’s missed chances, but reserved much of his frustration for the officials. As well as the tight offside call, the Hammers felt they had a strong case for a penalty in the final minute when Sander Berge headed the ball on to both of his hands.
‘The decisions went so badly against us,’ Moyes said. ‘The offside for the goal, then we’ve got Berge heads the ball, or tries to head the ball, in front and it hits his arms. We had a situation not unlike this in midweek.
‘You don’t jump with your two arms in front of your face, because you can only head it back that way. If your arms are in the wrong place and you head it against them, why would that not be punished?’
For Burnley, this was a tale similar to that of fellow strugglers Sheffield United, who threw away a 2-0 lead against Bournemouth a day earlier.
‘If I focus just on the timing of the two goals, then that’s two frustrating events in the game,’ boss Vincent Kompany said.
‘Was the team alive? Yes. Did the team fight? Yes. I want to take that into the next game and nothing else.’
Gareth Southgate was in the stands to watch West Ham’s three England hopefuls Jarrod Bowen, Kalvin Phillips and James Ward-Prowse. With the latter two hooked at half-time, only Bowen seems to have a strong case for selection this week.
Neither Phillips nor WardProwse can say they did enough to impress Southgate and neither covered themselves in glory for Burnley’s opener.
Berge split the two midfielders with a pin-point pass to Fofana, who shrugged off challenges from Nayef Aguerd and Phillips before unleashing a thunderous shot into the top right corner.
West Ham had improved towards the end of the half, but gifted Burnley a second goal just before the break when Mavropanos clumsily diverted Josh Cullen’s cross into his own net.
The half-time boos from the home fans were to be expected, but an immediate response came after the break.
Maxime Esteve was caught in possession and Paqueta pounced before driving forward and slotting a calm finish past keeper James Trafford.
Mohammed Kudus should have brought West Ham level when he was picked out by Bowen, but fired over from close range.
On came Ings for 16 minutes of mayhem. He looked to have equalised when he raced on to Michail Antonio’s chested pass and chipped the ball over the on-rushing Trafford.
But his celebrations were cut short when a VAR check showed Antonio was offside in the build-up. The striker did not have to wait long for another chance though. Kudus wrestled Lorenz Assignon off the ball and sent a cross to Ings, who took a touch before turning and hitting a half-volley into the corner.
It was no more than West Ham deserved, though they could have taken all three points when Ings sent a long-range effort against the crossbar.
Burnley, too, nearly won it at the end, but Alphonse Areola made a fine reaction save to foil Josh Brownhill from close-range.
WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Areola 6.5; Coufal 6.5, Mavropanos 6, Aguerd 6 (Ings 82), Cresswell 6; Soucek 6, Phillips 5 (Alvarez 45, 7); Kudus 7, Ward-Prowse 5 (Antonio 45, 7), PAQUETA 7.5; Bowen 6.5. Booked: Soucek, Paqueta. Scorers: Paqueta 46, Ings 90+1. Manager: David Moyes 6. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Trafford 6; Assignon 6, O’Shea 6, Esteve 5, Taylor 6.5; Vitinho 6 (Gudmundsson 90+3), Berge 6.5, Cullen 6.5, Odobert 6 (Delcroix 68, 6); Fofana 7, Larsen 5 (Brownhill 45, 6). Booked: Delcroix, Berge, Esteve. Scorers: Fofana 11, Mavropanos (og) 45+1. Manager: Vincent Kompany 6. Referee: Darren England 6. Att: Not given.