West Ham 5-0 Freiburg (5-1 agg.): Hammers turn up when it matters to reach Europa League quarter-finals

Germans unable to withstand pressure to defend first-leg lead
Marc Mayo14 March 2024

West Ham booked their place in the Europa League quarter-finals with a comfortable comeback win over Freiburg on Thursday evening.

David Moyes wanted the Hammers to repeat the heroics of their last-16 comeback at home to Sevilla two years ago, when they required extra-time to progress on an iconic night at London Stadium.

This match proved more of a trot than a triumph with a trio of corners upping the pressure on Freiburg, who looked off the pace from the first minutes. Aaron Cresswell’s delivery was flicked on by Tomas Soucek for Lucas Paqueta to turn home at the far post and level the tie.

Mohammed Kudus went close as the returning Michail Antonio crashed through defenders in trademark fashion to pick out the Ghanaian a little flat-footed.

On 32 minutes, West Ham doubled their lead on the night and went ahead in the tie for the first time when Jarrod Bowen outmuscled Christian Gunter’s challenge before unleashing a fierce strike from 20 yards.

The result was then sealed after the restart with Cresswell picking up a loose ball on the edge of the box and given plenty of time to shift onto his left foot and bury his first goal in just over two years.

Kudus then got in on the act with the pick of the bunch, picking up the ball inside his own half and steamrolling through the heart of the Freiburg defence, beating a man to break into the box and slotting home.

The night was quickly turning from sobering to embarrassing for the Germans and Kudus made it five on 85 minutes with an powerful snapshot from outside the box.

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