Bilic gamble is a big miss
ASTRA WIN 4- 3 ON AGG SLAVEN Bilic watched from the stands as his gamble ended with West Ham going bust and crashing out to Astra Giurgiu .
The Hammers boss left a host of fi rst- team players at home ahead of Sunday’s game against Arsenal, despite the fact this tie was hanging in the balance after a 2- 2 draw at Upton Park a week ago.
Bilic was sent to the stands late on in that game and was not in the dugout last night as his Romanian roll of the dice failed to see his side come up trumps, with Astra captain Constantin Budescu scoring twice in four fi rst- half minutes to cancel out Manuel Lanzini’s third- minute opener .
Skipper Kevin Nolan said: “We started very brightly but got stuck in a bit of rut. Where we lost it over the two legs was at home. We are disappointed as a squad and team because we wanted to go through.
“The gaffer has shown in his selection that the main priority is the Premier League and to make sure we go to the Olympic Stadium in the Premier League. Who knows, it might be a blessing in disguise. But I’m not saying it’s what we wanted.”
Hammers debutant Lanzini, who had already delivered a tempting free- kick and a corner that led to Nolan’s effort being hacked off the line, collected the ball and his low shot squeezed in off the post .
Astra almost levelled when Budescu’s whipped free- kick caught out Darren Randolph and hit the goalkeeper’s crossbar. But in the 32nd minute Budescu did score, driving forward unchallenged to arrow in a low 25- yard shot.
West Ham’s young defence had started well but Budescu was again on hand to capitalise on some indecisiveness at a cross as he fi nished coolly to put the home team in charge . As many as six of the visitors’ starting line- up have never fi gured in the Premier League for West Ham, with defensive duo Doneil Henry and Kyle Knoyle also making their club debuts.
Bilic had no obvious options on the bench as his experimental side toiled in the humidity but Nolan came close on the hour .
Fernando Boldrin almost followed up his Astra goal from the opening leg with another here, only for Randolph to tip his effort behind, and then Lanzini stung the palms of Silvu Lung .
Randolph pushed away two late Denis Alibec shots, but his teammates could not fi nd the equaliser they needed to force extra- time, and their dreams of a lengthy European campaign to mark the fi nal season at Upton Park came to an abrupt and feeble end. SOUTHAMPTON will join Ajax and Fenerbahce in the hat for the Europa League play- off draw today after beating Vitesse Arnhem 2- 0 – winning 5- 0 on aggregate.
Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane were on the scoresheet, giving manager Ronald Koeman something to smile about after rupturing his Achilles on the eve of this third qualifying- round tie. The Dutchman looks likely to stay in his homeland to have an operation before Sunday’s league opener at Newcastle.
It is understood 50 Dutch fans and three English supporters were arrested due to trouble before the game .