Moyes merrier as Kudus magic caps five-star Hammers show
David Moyes branded Mohammed Kudus as West Ham United’s very own Roy of the Rovers after his astonishing solo goal in the rout of Freiburg secured the club’s place in the last eight of European competition for a third successive year.
Ghana winger Kudus ran fully 70 yards, skipping past challenge after challenge before casually rolling the ball into the net to put West Ham 4-0 up and well on their way to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
“If anybody can remember dribbling wingers, who used to take people on, snake hips,” said Hammers manager Moyes. “It was a brilliant individual goal, a Roy of the Rovers type.”
Moyes uncharacteristically named an attacking line-up in a bid to repair the damage of the 1-0 firstleg defeat in Germany last week.
He was rewarded with a brilliant display as goals from Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Aaron Cresswell put West Ham firmly in control, before Kudus struck twice.
The Hammers, winners of the Europa Conference League last season, will again feature in the quarter-finals of European competition, a feat the manager believes underlines the progress of the club.
“I’m hugely pleased with the goals and the level of the performance and how well the players have done,” added Moyes.
“We were really unhappy from the first game. We should not have come out with the result we had. We had to put it right and thankfully we did.
“For West Ham to be three years in a row in the quarter-finals in European competition, its not been done before. For where we have come from, to be in another quarter-final is a brilliant achievement. The club has moved on so much.”
Paqueta slid West Ham in front at the far post before Bowen celebrated his England call-up with his 18th goal of the season, and his first in Europe.
The 27-year-old shrugged off the attentions of Christian Günter before lashing home from 20 yards.
“We had to take the game to them and fully went for it. We scored five and could have scored more,” said Bowen. “We needed a reaction.
“We played on the front foot. That has been our biggest problem, not being consistent against underdogs. We wanted to carry on from where we left off against Burnley last week.
“I haven’t scored in the Europa League this season so that was in the forefront of my mind.”
Freiburg still posed a threat with Roland Sallai firing wide. Six minutes into the second half, however, Cresswell made it three. Bowen’s square ball across the box was deflected out to the left-back, who rifled home.
Kudus celebrated his solo effort by taking a well-earned rest on a photographer’s stool, before he fired home the fifth after Bowen’s lay-off.
The Hammers may have also done their Premier League rivals a favour, with the result pushing England ahead of Germany in Uefa’s coefficient rankings, which is likely to mean an extra spot in Europe – including five places in the revamped Champions League.