West Ham United 0 v 1 Burnley (FA Premier League)
Burnley Football Club arrived in the capital to face relegation threatend West Ham United at the London Stadium. Sean Dyche selected the same starting line-up that drew 1-1 with Sheffield United at the weekend as they continue to look for a place in the Europa League.
West Ham United had the first shot of the game on three minutes, against the run of play when Michail Antonio got passed Phil Bardsley before finding Tomas Soucek outside the Clarets box, but his right footed shot went high over Nick Pope’s crossbar.
On eight minutes, the Clarets had a great chance to take the lead when Matej Vydra broke free down the right and pulled the ball back to the centre of the box where Erik Pieters hit a left-footed shot just over Lukasz Fabianski’s crossbar.
Four minutes later, the visitors should have taken the lead as Dwight McNeil’s free-kick is whipped into the West Ham box for Matej Vydra latch onto and guides his header towards goal, only for the Hammers keeper Lukasz Fabianski to deny the striker with an excellent save tipping the ball around the post for a corner.
West Ham then had another excellent chance to take the lead as Aaron Cresswell got free on the wing before sending a cross into the box which found Tomas Soucek on the left hand side of the box, but his effort went high over Nick Pope’s crossbar.
On twenty-five minutes, the home side had two efforts at goal the first fell to Michail Antonio who hit a right footed shot from the left side of the box which was blocked by the Clarets defender James Tarkowski. The ball then fell to Andriy Yarmolenko who found Tomas Soucek, but his right footed shot from outside the box is blocked by Kevin Long.
West Ham continued to press in search of an opening goal, when Ryan Fredericks found Tomas Soucek with a cross into the Clarets area. However his right footed shot from the centre of the box was saved by England International Nick Pope.
A minute later, Michail Antonio had another chance for the Hammers but his right footed shot from the centre of the box was well saved by Nick Pope as he tipped the ball over the crossbar as the ball was heading for the top corner.
On thirty-eight minutes, the visitors took the lead when Charlie Taylor sent a cross into the West Ham area from the left and Jay Todriguez headed the ball passed Lukasz Fabianski via the crossbar into the Hammers goal to make it 1-0 to the Clarets.
Just one minute later, the home side nearly drew level as Antonio broke free straight from the kick-off and hit a right-footed shot from the middle of the Clarets box which hit Nick Pope’s right-hand post before going out for a goalkick.
The Clarets finished the half stronger and should have extended their lead when Erik Pieters played an excellent through ball to Matej Vydra, who hit a right footed shot from the centre of the box, which went just wide of the left post to leave the half-time score 1-0.
Sean Dyche must have delivered a strong teamtalk at half-time as the Clarets came out and went straight onto the attck. Four minutes into the second-half Dwight McNeil sent over an exceelent cross which found Matej Vydra but his right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked by Declan Rice.
The home side had clearly watched the Clarets in action at the weekend as they tried to use the same short corner that Sheffield United used to score with on Sunday, it was on the hour mark, when a corner was played to Jarrod Bowen to cross into the area but Tomas Soucek sent his header over Nick Pope’s crossbar.
On sixty-two minutes, the Hammers introduced top scorer Sébastien Haller and he should have brought the home side with his very first touch as he found himself free six yards out, but Nick Pope made a worldclass save to deny the substitute and keep the Clarets ahead.
West Ham continued to look for a goal and Ryan Tredericks crossed into the Clarets box on sixty-eight minutes for Jarrod Bowen but his left footed shot from the right side of the area went wide of Nick pope’s right-hand post.
On seventy-two minutes, Phil Bardsley brought a ball down out of the air before sending Clarets substitute Chris Wood clear on the Hammers goal only for the striker to be pulled back for offside with only Lukasz Fabianski to beat.
The visitor did have the ball in the West Ham United goal again on eighty minutes, when Charlie Taylor found Chris Wood who sent a right footed shot from the left side of the box into the bottom right corner of Fabianski’s goal, but once again the goal was disallowed by VAR for offside.
The final effort of the game fell to Ashley Westwood but his right foot shot from the left side of the box went just wide of Fabianski’s right-hand post to make the final score 1-0.
Speaking after the match manager Sean Dyche said, “Last few games have been fantastic, it’s a challenge when they lose team-mates. There’s a resilience to them and when you add in organisation and physical prowess and they’ve got more talent than people mention.
The two centre halves were outstanding, the keeper was outstanding. They asked a lot of questions, had a couple of golden moments and our keeper was there when needed. We have a culture and environment we believe in it’s that commitment to the cause. The next game comes very quickly and it’s the Champions Liverpool, they’re not bad.”
Match Details
West Ham – Fabianski, Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Fornals, Yarmolenko, Antonio (Subs) Balbuena, Lanzini, Noble, Wilshere, Haller, Masuaku, Ajeti, Randolph, Johnson
Burnley – Pope, Bardsley, Taylor, Tarkowski, Long, Westwood, Brownhill, Pieters, Vydra, Rodriduez, McNeil (Subs) Peacock-Farrell, Benson, Gudmundsson, Thompson, Wood, Brady, Dunne, Goodridge, Glennon
Goals – (Burnley) Rodriguez (38)
Attendance – 0 (Behind Close Doors)
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