UPON their arrival in East London, the travelling Olympiacos fans were given the starkest of warnings to behave themselves.
In a club statement before kick-off, the Greeks produced an astonishing list of banned items deemed inappropriate for the London Stadium, including ammunition, pets and machetes.
Thankfully, that list did not contain West Ham’s Brazilian maestro Lucas Paqueta, who lit up this otherwise dull affair with a beautiful 73rd minute match-deciding volley.
It was initially given as offside, but VAR came to the rescue to show Paqueta was kept on from James Ward-Prowse’s clever dink thanks to Francisco Ortega’s lazy positioning.
Having lost their record-breaking 17-match unbeaten run in Europe with defeat out in Athens last month, this crucial result ensures the Hammers are in pole position to top their Europa League group with two games remaining. Victory away at Serbia’s Backa Topola after the international break could clinch it.
Moyes left his skipper Kurt Zouma at home, the French defender still nursing a troublesome knee injury with Sunday’s clash against Nottingham Forest in mind. Konstantinos Mavropanos was drafted in again to face his compatriots.
Jarrod Bowen led the line, and not for the first time this campaign, with Michail Antonio left on the bench, a sign perhaps that the Jamaican is falling out of favour.
You can hardly blame Moyes, who right now is enjoying watching a free-flowing and exciting attacking trio of Bowen, Paqueta and Mohamed Kudus strut their stuff.
That threesome helped create the first big chance as the hosts began with plenty of zip and aggression. Said Benrahma’s curling effort was tipped wide by Alexandros Paschalakis.
From the resulting Ward-Prowse corner, the Olympiacos keeper was forced into another save as Nayef Aguerd connected with a header six yards out.
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But frustration crept in. West Ham have proven already this season they struggle to create when they have more of the ball, and so it was playing out that way.
Edson Alvarez, only just back from suspension, picked up another booking for a mistimed lunge, while Kudus also saw yellow for a petulant rant at the officials.
The only consolation for Moyes’ Irons was that Olympiacos looked pretty toothless on the counter. Wolves loanee Daniel Podence shanked their best opening just inside the box.
West Ham huffed and puffed, and it was much of the same after the break. Olympiacos were sent out to eradicate any rhythm this game had to offer with timewasting, and were succeeding.
That was until Ward-Prowse and Paqueta combined with devastating effect, although the latter’s eventual celebration in front of the seething away end was perhaps unwise.
Nerves were jangling in the final seconds as Olympiacos defender Mady Camara struck the post, but the Irons hung on with all their might.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
