West Ham United 2-1 AZ Alkmaar: Hammers fight back to win first leg of Europa Conference League semi-final
ByTNT Sports
Updated 11/05/2023 at 22:32 GMT+1
West Ham United are in the semi-finals of a European competition for a second season in a row. They are well placed to avoid the same heartbreak as 12 months ago, after fighting back from a goal down to beat Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League last-four clash at London Stadium on Thursday evening. The second leg takes place in Alkmaar next week.
Michail Antonio celebrates during the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final, first leg match between West Ham United and AZ Alkmaar at London Stadium on May 11, 2023 in London, England
Image credit: Getty Images
Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio were on target as West Ham came from behind to beat AZ Alkmaar 2-1 and take control of this Europa Conference League semi-final tie.
David Moyes’ side were firm favourites to win on home soil and take a significant step to ending their 43-year wait for a trophy, but they were up against it after conceding a first-half opener to Tijjani Reijnders.
But they turned the game on its head in nine second-half minutes, Benrahma grabbing an equaliser from the spot before Antonio prodded home from close range.
Reijnders’ 42nd-minute goal came in controversial circumstances. The home side felt Lucas Paqueta was fouled in midfield but play continued as AZ broke rapidly and with Reijnders invited to have a shot and the midfielder found the bottom corner, although Alphonse Areola may have done better.
The goal deflated The Hammers and it took some time for them to conjure up any kind of response. Jarrod Bowen threatened with a shot from the edge of the box before former Brighton and Arsenal goalkeeper Mat Ryan gave them a lifeline when he fouled Bowen inside the box. Benrahma made no mistake with his penalty.
Now with the momentum, West Ham grabbed the game’s all important third goal when Antonio stabbed in the rebound after Nayef Aguerd’s header was cleared off the line.
Benrahma blew the chance to give West Ham a two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg – which takes place on Thursday, May 18 – when he leaned back and failed to hit the target from point-blank range.
In the other semi-final, Basel will take a 2-1 lead into the second leg after Zeki Amdouni's 93rd-minute winner at Fiorentina.
Talking point - West Ham take narrow lead into second leg
For 67 minutes, the anxiousness in the London Stadium was palpable as a passive home side threatened to make life difficult for themselves by losing the first leg. AZ were looking extremely comfortable when Ryan clumsily conceded the penalty in a moment of madness.
Benrahma showed nerves of steel from the spot and from thereafter, it felt like there was only going to be one winner.
In the end West Ham may well feel like they should be taking more than a one-goal advantage to the Netherlands next week, and there is still plenty of work to be done before they can start dreaming about Prague on May 7.
Player of the match - Said Benrahma (West Ham)
Buried a pressure penalty to lift the crowd and fully played his part with his tricky runs and clever passing to help West Ham win the game.
Player ratings
West Ham: Areola 6, Kehrer 6, Zouma 7, Aguerd 7, Cresswell 6, Soucek 6, Rice 7, Bowen 8, Paqueta 6, Benrahma 8*, Antonio 7.. subs: Fornals N/A, Ings N/A.
AZ Alkmaar: Ryan 4, Sugawara 6, Beukema 6, Hatzidiakos 6, De Wit 5, Clasie 7, Mijnans 6, Reijnders 7, Odgaard 6, Pavlidis 6, Van Brederode 7.. subs: Lahdo 5, Mihailovic N/A.
Match highlights
42’ - GOAL! WEST HAM 0-1 AZ ALKMAAR (TIJJANI REIJNDERS): Boos ring around the stadium as West Ham fall behind! West Ham feel that Paqueta was fouled in midfield - but play continues as AZ break with speed. Reijnders is invited to have a shot, and he does, walloping the ball into the bottom corner - but should Areola, who got something on it, have done better?
67’ - GOAL! WEST HAM 1-1 AZ ALKMAAR (SAID BENRAHMA, PEN): A confident penalty from Benrahma as he rifles the ball into the corner of the net and although Ryan guessed the right way he had no chance of keeping it out.
76’ - GOAL! WEST HAM 2-1 AZ ALKMAAR (MICHAIL ANTONIO): From a corner, Rice floated a cross into the six-yard box, but Aguerd's header is cleared off the line. The ball remains alive and is prodded home by Antonio as West Ham turn the game on its head in just nine minutes!
83’ - SHOULD BE GAME OVER! Benrahma bursts forward down the left, playing a give-and-go with a team mate as he drives into the box. He should put the game beyond doubt but leans back and fails to hit the target with his shot.
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