Scamacca gets off the mark as Hammers ease to Euro victory
WEST HAM 3
VIBORG 1
THEY combined for a first goal, from their first chance on their first start, to put West Ham on course for a first win of the season.
David Moyes did not spend nearly £50million on Gianluca Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet for the Europa Conference League play- offs. Against Viborg of Denmark.
But this will do for starters. Particularly after two defeats to start the campaign. Particularly as scars from last season’s run to the Europa League semi-finals still remain.
Moyes, Declan Rice and Aaron Cresswell were all suspended here following that defeat, for crimes including accusing officials of corruption and kicking a ball at a ball-boy.
Without them, there were opportunities for youngsters such as Harrison Ashby and a return as captain for Angelo Ogbonna, who had been out since November following knee surgery.
This also afforded the West Ham fans — those who beat train strikes for the Conference League and slightly cheaper beers — a first sighting off the bench of defender Thilo Kehrer, who only joined from Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. And a first proper glimpse of Cornet and Scamacca.
Midway through the first half Cornet, signed for £17.5m from Burnley, wriggled into space and crossed for Scamacca, who cost around £30m from Sassuolo, who headed home his first goal for the club. And West Ham’s first all season. ‘To get off the mark really quickly is a big thing for a centre forward,’ assistant Billy McKinlay said.
Their second came through Jarrod Bowen’s drive, their third courtesy of Michail Antonio, who calmed West Ham nerves after Jakob Bonde’s header had got Viborg back in it.
So, West Ham take a two-goal lead into the second leg.
Viborg were two men down before landing in England — neither Ibrahim Said nor Alassana Jatta could travel due to visa issues.
For West Ham, meanwhile, no Rice after his rant at the referee. No Cresswell after his red card in Frankfurt. Not many supporters, either. Moyes sat among them after his run-in with that ball-boy.
McKinlay added: ‘It was strange to have him up there. I could feel the heat on the back of my neck!’
Viborg boss Jacob Friis said: ‘We are not dead and buried. Maybe the hole has been dug, but we’re not in it yet.’
WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Areola 6.5; Ashby 6, Johnson 6, Ogbonna 6.5 (Kehrer 66min, 6), Coufal 6.5; Coventry 6.5 (Downes 85, 6), Soucek 6; BOWEN 7.5 (Benrahma 66, 7), Lanzini 6 (Fornals 45, 6), Cornet 7; Scamacca 7 (Antonio 67, 7). Scorers: Scamacca 23, Bowen 64, Antonio 78. Booked: None. Manager: David Moyes 7.