West Ham beat Silkeborg 3-2 despite a very nervy final 10 minutes!
The Hammers were clearly the better team in the first half, although they did fall behind to a sixth-minute goal from Kasper Kusk. He got the better of Craig Dawson and finished well.
But the Irons made their superiority count and hit back swiftly.
Maxwel Cornet was fouled in the box and Manuel Lanzini stepped up to score the resulting penalty.
Gianluca Scamacca then added a second on 26 minutes, as the Hammers pressed high and won the ball back in Silkeborg’s third; it was played into the Italian, who turned and smacked the ball into the roof of the net from range.
Dawson then added a third on 38 minutes, seemingly sending the Hammers out of sight, as he headed home from a set-piece.
But after a slow second half, in which Said Benrahma did see an effort cleared off the line, Silkeborg forced a nervy finish.
Soren Tengstedt pulled a goal back on 75 minutes and they continued to press from there, forcing a great save from Alphonse Areola before the 90 minutes were out.
The Irons were clearly the better team for the majority but, blimey, they don’t make it easy!
Maybe my tv shows a different game! But am I the only one who saw the game change after the 3 subs. It wasn’t the last 10 minutes it was the last 30. Soucek is off the pace, Benrama?? Bowen out of position and his fault for the goal. I wonder what game the pundits are watching. The substitutions nearly lost us that game, we got lucky.
Spot on analysis of the substitutions, oldkingcol. Clearly substitutions had to be made with the comfortable lead (at that time) and the Everton match looming, but hey – they played poorly.