Lucas Paqueta scored his third goal in this season’s Europa League
Lucas Paqueta’s excellent finish 17 minutes from time gave West Ham victory in their Europa League encounter with Greek side Olympiakos to send them to the brink of the knockout stages.
Paqueta lit up what had been a largely drab contest at the London Stadium when he perfectly met James Ward-Prowse’s chipped cross into the penalty area and sent his volley into the corner.
Although the goal was initially ruled out for offside, the Brazilian put his hands together in prayer, which was rewarded when video assistant referee confirmed Paqueta had been onside as Ward-Prowse delivered the crucial pass.
The win, avenged West Ham’s loss to the same opponents in Athens a fortnight ago, which marked the end of an impressive 17-match unbeaten run for David Moyes’ side in Europe.
“It’s good to get back on track. Olympiakos are a seasoned European team and they showed that tonight,” said Hammers boss Moyes.
“We’re top of the group, we still have two matches to play but I think this is the hardest group we’ve had. Europe has been great for this football club, we’ve had some great nights and long may they continue.
“He [Lucas Paqueta] took the goal brilliantly tonight but there were lots of things I wanted him to do better. We’ve got room for improvement.”
The result means West Ham remain above German rivals Freiburg at the head of Group A based on their head-to-head record, knowing two points from their final two games will be enough to ensure Europa League action after Christmas.
Victory was not achieved without a late scare as Mady Camara hit the woodwork when he should have done better with a stooping header at the far post.
But it was a disappointing night for watching Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who will hope for better fortune on Sunday when his other club Nottingham Forest come here in the Premier League.
West Ham grind their way to victory
The eventual result was reward for Moyes’ adventurous team selection, although for a long time it looked like becoming West Ham’s first goalless draw since their stalemate at Burnley in December 2021.
The strength of the Hammers’ teamsheet just did not translate into dominance on the pitch.
There were brief periods in the first-half where the home side looked as though they were taking command but it never turned into anything substantial.
Said Benrahma came closest to breaking the deadlock when his well-struck effort was curling into the far corner before Alexandros Paschalakis turned it round the post.
From the corner Nayef Aguerd headed straight at the Olympiakos keeper.
Paschalakis denied Benrahma again with a low save after the Algerian had been picked out in the box by Paqueta. This time Aguerd was wide with his header from the corner.
Not that Olympiakos were particularly threatening.
Daniel Podence signed a new three-year contract with Wolves before he was loaned back to the Greek club in the summer. A return to Molineux has not been ruled out for Podence but Gary O’Neil will not be rushing him back on the evidence of the mishit shot he sent spinning well wide of the West Ham goal.
The second period produced more of the same until Jarrod Bowen sent a surge of energy through the stadium as he embarked on a couple of charging runs, the first of which should have resulted in a goal for Ward-Prowse.
It did not matter in the end, although, given the teams had returned to the centre circle before the VAR ruling was determined, it was odd that Paqueta chose to celebrate in front of the Olympiakos supporters.
Now, after collecting four points from seven games, West Ham need to address their league form.
Player of the match
Ward-ProwseJames Ward-Prowse
West Ham United
Squad number7Player nameWard-Prowse
Squad number10Player nameLucas Paquetá
Squad number14Player nameKudus
Squad number27Player nameAguerd
Squad number20Player nameBowen
Squad number33Player nameEmerson
Squad number19Player nameÁlvarez
Squad number5Player nameCoufal
Squad number15Player nameMavropanos
Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Squad number45Player nameMubama
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Squad number17Player nameCornet
Olympiakos
Squad number10Player nameGustavo Scarpa
Squad number56Player nameDaniel Podence
Squad number7Player nameFortounis
Squad number1Player namePaschalakis
Squad number22Player nameJovetic
Squad number4Player nameCamara
Squad number45Player nameRetsos
Squad number3Player nameOrtega
Squad number32Player nameHezze
Squad number25Player namePorozo
Squad number15Player nameAlexandropoulos
Squad number23Player nameRodinei
Squad number9Player nameEl Kabi
Squad number19Player nameMasouras
Squad number21Player namePep Biel
Line-ups
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
1 Fabian
5Coufal15Mavropanos27Aguerd33Emerson
19Álvarez7Ward-Prowse
14Kudus10Lucas Paquetá22Benrahma
20 bows
1Fabianski5Coufal15Mavropanos27Aguerd33Emerson19ÁlvarezBooked at 19minsSubstituted forSoucekat 80’minutes7Ward-Prowse14KudusBooked at 28minsSubstituted forMubamaat 89’minutes10Lucas Paquetá22BenrahmaSubstituted forCornetat 84’minutes20BowenBooked at 90minsSubstitutes2Johnson3Cresswell8Fornals9Antonio17Cornet18Ings21Ogbonna23Areola24Kehrer28Soucek45Mubama49Anang
Olympiakos
Formation 4-3-3
1Paschalakis
23de Almeida25Porozo45Retsos3Ortega
32Hezze15Alexandropoulos4Camara
56Podence22Jovetic7Fortounis
1Paschalakis23de Almeida25PorozoBooked at 83mins45Retsos3Ortega32HezzeSubstituted forBiel Mas Jaumeat 90’minutes15AlexandropoulosSubstituted forFurtado Scarpaat 76’minutes4CamaraBooked at 90mins56PodenceBooked at 38minsSubstituted forMasourasat 76’minutes22JoveticSubstituted forEl Kaabiat 56 ‘minutes7FortounisBooked at 90minsSubstitutes8Iborra de la Fuente9El Kaabi10Furtado Scarpa11El Arabi18Marín Ruiz19Masouras20Carvalho21Biel Mas Jaume74Ntoi88Tzolakis98Solbakken99Papadoudis
Live Text
Match ends, West Ham United 1, Olympiakos 0.
Second Half ends, West Ham United 1, Olympiakos 0.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card.
Mady Camara (Olympiakos) is shown the yellow card.
Konstantinos Fortounis (Olympiakos) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Vladimír Coufal (West Ham United).
Konstantinos Fortounis (Olympiakos) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United).
Substitution, Olympiakos. Pep Biel replaces Santiago Hezze.
Substitution, West Ham United. Divin Mubama replaces Mohammed Kudus.
Offside, Olympiakos. Francisco Ortega tries a through ball, but Konstantinos Fortounis is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Rodinei (Olympiakos) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Gustavo Scarpa.
Foul by Lucas Paquetá (West Ham United).
Mady Camara (Olympiakos) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Mady Camara (Olympiakos) hits the right post with a header from the right side of the six yard box. Assisted by Jackson Porozo following a corner.
Attempt missed. Jackson Porozo (Olympiakos) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Konstantinos Fortounis with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Olympiakos. Conceded by Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Attempt missed. Konstantinos Mavropanos (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse with a cross following a set piece situation.
Substitution, West Ham United. Maxwel Cornet replaces Saïd Benrahma.
2023-11-09 23:15:28
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