Do or die battle

West Ham United face a do-or-die battle against SC Freiburg on Thursday night in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.

This is the fourth meeting between the two sides this season, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. West Ham trail 1-0 on aggregate after a frustrating first leg where they squandered several chances. Now, they must win at the London Stadium to progress to the quarter-finals for a remarkable third consecutive season.

Adding to the pressure for West Ham is Freiburg’s recent form. The German side held Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich to a draw before defeating VfL Bochum, with the winning goal coming from Michael Gregoritsch, the same player who netted against West Ham in the first leg.

The path to victory for West Ham is clear: win by two clear goals to avoid a penalty shootout.  Can they rediscover their scoring touch and overcome a confident Freiburg side?

Thursday’s match promises to be a tense and thrilling encounter. West Ham’s European dream hangs in the balance, and they’ll need to summon their best performance to silence a resurgent Freiburg team.