Lyon vs West Ham: Ratings and analysis as Hammers march on in Europe to face same opponents as 1976 semi-final

Lyon 0-3 West Ham (1-4 agg) (Dawson 38′, Rice 44′, Bowen 48′)

By Nick Szczepanik — West Ham’s European tour goes on after a stunning display in France – and it will roll into Germany next.

David Moyes’ side withstood early pressure from Lyon before two goals in seven minutes late in the first half from Craig Dawson and Declan Rice turned the tie in their favour.

Jarrod Bowen made it 3-0 on the night two minutes into the second half to complete a memorable evening.

More from Football

Thousands of Frankfurt fans flood Nou Camp as Barcelona supporters 'protest' during tie14 April, 2022Leicester secure historic comeback win to reach Conference League semis – ratings and analysis14 April, 2022Moshiri won't sell Everton, Newcastle angry at Uefa and goalkeeper open to Sunderland return14 April, 2022

Some observers thought that signs of exhaustion had been creeping into West Ham’s overworked squad in recent matches. But there were none on display in the Groupama Stadium as they grew into, and finally dominated, a second leg which they began as second favourites after the 1-1 draw in the first game at London Stadium.

Now they will play in their first European semi-final since 1975-76, when they reached the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup. And, as in 1976, they will face Eintracht Frankfurt, who improbably eliminated Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

There were heroes in claret and blue all over the pitch. Rice led the side with calm assurance, while Michail Antonio worked tirelessly to stretch the defence while West Ham’s own rear-guard came through a torrid opening to dominate.

West Ham player ratings

• Areola 7
• Coufal 7
• Dawson 8
• Diop 7
• Johnson 7
• Soucek 7
• Rice 8 (Benrahma n/a)
• Bowen 7
• Lanzini 7 (Noble n/a)
• Fornals 8
• Antonio 7 (Yarmolenko n/a)

Moyes had expressed his concern at the absences of Kurt Zouma, who injured an ankle at Brentford on Sunday, and Aaron Cresswell, suspended after receiving a red card in the first leg. But Issa Diop and Ben Johnson proved more than capable deputies.

Lyon, 10^th in France’s Ligue 1, but Champions League semi-finalists only two seasons ago, were unbeaten in the competition and had only failed to score once at home all season. Urged on by a noisy home support, they began at a furious pace and were nearly ahead in the fifth minute when Karl Toto-Ekambi, the competition’s top scorer with six goals, cut inside from the left and shot hard and low past Alphonse Areola’s right hand but against the foot of the post.

Five minutes later Dawson for once failed to clear a cross from the right by the dangerous Malo Gusto and as Moussa Dembele and Houssem Aouar tried to stab the loose ball home it ricocheted against the arm of Vladimir Coufal. Fortunately for the Hammers, the referee was deaf to loud penalty appeals from the home players and crowd.

West Ham needed to break out and Antonio launched a counter-attack with a powerful run down the right. But when the ball reached Pablo Fornals on the edge of the Lyon penalty area, his shot lacked the power to beat backup goalkeeper Julian Pollersbeck.

And they made a golden chance in the 23rd minute when Antonio’s cross from the left found Bowen unmarked at the far post but, at full stretch, the West Ham man could not turn the ball the right side of the upright.

Despite Lyon’s domination of possession, openings were coming for West Ham and after 38 minutes they made one count. Fornals floated a corner from the left to the near post and Dawson, eyes only for the ball, charged in front of Dembele to head in.

At that stage they would happily have settled for a single-goal lead at the break but they doubled it in the 44th minute. Johnson’s cross was headed out but only to Rice, completely unmarked, and his hard, low shot took a touch off Castello Lukeba on its way past the wrong-footed Pollersbeck.

And West Ham went for the jugular early in the second half. A diagonal pass from Fornals found Bowen advancing into a vast empty space where the Lyon central defenders should have been and he shot low past Pollersbeck’s right hand.

from Football | News and analysis from the Premier League and beyond | iNews https://ift.tt/2WJLmD8