London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Stunning second-half sends West Ham into another European semi-final

Stunning second-half sends West Ham into another European semi-final

Hammers into the final four of a continental competition for the second season running
West Ham came from behind to book their spot in the Europa Conference League semi-finals.

David Moyes’ side produced a brilliant second-half display to beat Gent 4-1 and win the tie 5-1 on aggregate, teeing up a meeting with AZ Alkmaar in the final four.

The hosts flew out the traps in the opening stages as, for the first time in the tie, they looked to flex their muscle.

Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta, two players the Belgian league as a whole could only dream of housing, were heavily involved in a lively West Ham start and the latter found Michail Antonio in a dangerous position.

Antonio then teed up Jarrod Bowen but his shot was blocked and Paqueta could not follow in the rebound.

From there, however, the tempo dropped.

As Gent grew in confidence, the Hammers creaked. Paqueta needlessly gave the ball away in midfield and a lack of aggression to win it back spread like wildfire throughout the whole team, leaving Matisse Samoise completely unmarked high up on the right-hand side.

While his shot was saved, Hugo Cuypers was there to hit the opener on a half-volley to take an early advantage.

Still, just as they did against Arsenal, West Ham dug out a response.

First, Emerson Palmieri weaved in from the left and struck a lovely shot towards the top corner before it was palmed way. Slowly but surely, the home side were building a platform.

After a number of poor decisions with their final ball, West Ham finally had their breakthrough. Bowen’s wicked free-kick delivery met Antonio in the box and the forward was able to use the pace of the ball to glance in past Davy Roef in the Gent goal.

Half-time had appeared to come at a bad time for the home side, who ended the opening 45 minutes in ascendancy.

Though Moyes’ team have hardly been renowned for their ability to sustain pressure, eight stunning minutes after the interval sealed their progress.

Paqueta struck a brilliant penalty after a lengthy VAR check as West Ham dominated the opening ten minutes of the second half. With that sense of relief bounding around the London Stadium, Rice embarked on a stunning solo run to lash in the third as their opponents finally crumbled.

By the time Antonio bagged his brace, Gent were ready for the final whistle.

The flicks and tricks then came out as the Hammers coasted through the closing stages and dreamt of a European final in May.

In the second half at least, they underlined their status as favourites for the tournament.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×