West Ham vs Freiburg LIVE: Europa League result and reaction after Kudus strikes twice including stunner
Follow all the latest updates from the Europa League clash at the London Stadium
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West Ham have booked their place in the quarter-finals of Europe’s second-tier competition with an emphatic 5-0 win on the night, and 5-1 on aggregate against Freiburg.
The Hammers fell to a controversial 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie. David Moyes’ side were controversially denied a late penalty to level the match.
But in the return leg they fired on all cylinders. It started from Lucas Paqueta’s ninth-minute tap in to level the tie, before Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Cresswell and Mohammed Kudus also got their names on the score sheet.
Kudus’ first was the goal of the evening, a stunning individual effort that stemmed from him winning the ball by cutting out a ball inside his own half before running forward, leaving defenders in his wake to set up the shot and fire the ball into the corner of the goal.
In the pre-match press conference, Moyes insisted the club have been enjoying their recent European runs, he said: “If you want to be on the big stage, now is the time to act. If you can’t perform, don’t go on stage. From the first game we had in Europe, we’ve been on a good ride and no one wants that to end.” And the Hammers will have a chance to extend that after their win over Freiburg.
Follow all the live action in the blog below, and get the latest odds and tips here.
West Ham 0-0 Freiburg (0-1)
5 mins: Nothing comes of the following corner although the goalkeeper was almost caught as they choose to play it out from the back.
West Ham 0-0 Freiburg (0-1)
4 mins: Coufal has a chance at a long throw into the opposition box, the travelling support are bouncing, they will have a corner after it bounces all the way through to the keeper.
West Ham 0-0 Freiburg
2 mins: Freiburg have had most of the early possession, as West Ham settle into the match, a reminder that the home side are a goal down after the first leg.
West Ham 0-0 Freiburg
1 min: Freiburg kick the game underway as the bubbles begin to evaporate over the pitch
West Ham vs Freiburg
We are now just minutes away from kick off in East London, the teams have done their warm ups and will be coming out of the tunnel soon.
David Moyes speaks ahead of the match
The Hammers boss added: “I’ve said many times, I think it’s really difficult to beat a side four times in a season. We’ve beat them twice and we’ve lost once now so we have to try and make sure it’s three tonight.”
On how much they can take from the Sevilla match two years ago, Moyes said: “Well i think the only thing we can take from it is the crowd were magnificent on the night, it played a big part.
“Sevilla were serial winners at that time of this competition, so for us to beat them in that stage of the knockout was a big thrill for us and we have to take a lot of experience because we know that this game tonight could easily go to extra time and we have to do that and win it in that then we have to do so.”
David Moyes speaks ahead of the match
David Moyes said to TNT Sports: “Look, we just felt as if we needed a slight change, we didn’t play as well as we like away from home but we shouldn’t have lost the game in the end, and we did, so let’s see how it goes.
“We can’t throw everything in right away but we’re going to try and put them under pressure early doors if we can.”
Freiburg fans received a police escort
There have been issues at the London Stadium before and on this occasion, the Freiburg fans were given a police escort to the ground:
Fans have been arriving at the London Stadium
Here are some photos from around the ground:
A look back at West Ham’s last result
David Moyes felt a host of refereeing decisions went against West Ham after they had to come from two down to rescue a point at home to Burnley.
A stoppage-time Danny Ings effort secured a 2-2 draw, but the former Burnley striker also had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside and West Ham could have had a penalty at the death when Sander Berge headed the ball into his own hand.
“The decisions today went so badly against us,” said Hammers boss Moyes. “The offside for the goal, then there is one in the first half where the linesman puts his flag up and Jarrod Bowen is onside. Even if he wasn’t, the rules are supposed to be that you wait until he’s got to be sure he’s offside. He doesn’t. He puts his flag up straight away and I’ve seen it and he’s onside.”
David Moyes blames officials as West Ham drop points at home to Burnley
A stoppage-time Danny Ings effort secured a 2-2 draw.
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