German side stun Moyes’ boys to hold upper hand DER HAMMER
1 2
THE LAST time West Ham met Eintracht Frankfurt in a semi-final, they had to come from behind to win. They will have to do it again next week.
Way back in 1976, in the European Cup Winners Cup, the Hammers lost 2-1 in Germany but overturned the deficit on a famous night at Upton Park to win 3-1 and reach the final.
This one might well be tougher. Eintracht surprised David Moyes’ team with the speed and fluency of their football, and goals from Ansgar Knauff and Daichi Kamada left the Hammers with a mountain to climb next Thursday, despite Michail Antonio’s goal.
It should not have come as a surprise – this was a Frankfurt team who put out Barcelona in the quarter finals – and their calmness showed at key moments on a frenetic night.
The London Stadium was bouncing before kick-off, packed to the rafters with the atmosphere crackling. But it did not take long for Frankfurt to burst the bubble. Forty-nine seconds, to be precise.
West Ham were half asleep as Rafael Borre crossed, and Knauff crept up on the far post behind a dozing Pablo Fornals to nod in. Moyes’ team gradually grappled their way back into the match, as Tomas Soucek headed wide.
Then the Czech prodded the ball to Jarrod Bowen through the middle, but as goalkeeper Kevin Trapp advanced, the striker’s shot hit the post.
Moyes had sprung a surprise by naming Kurt Zouma in his starting line-up just three weeks after the Frenchman suffered a serious ankle injury. But it was a move that paid off, as the centre-back rose to nod down Manuel Lanzini’s free-kick – and Antonio stabbed in the equaliser.
West Ham were on top but Frankfurt were dangerous on the break.
Suddenly, Frankfurt struck again. Djibril Sow exchanged passes with Jesper Lindstrom and shot, Alphonse Areola saved, but could only parry the ball to Kamada, who swept home.
Moyes threw on Said Benrahma, and the Algerian almost had an instant impact, as his curling shot clipped the angle. It could have been worse for West Ham, as Kamada’s shot smacked against the post late on – but Bowen almost saved the night as his overhead kick came back off the bar.