First Half
Danny Ings scored his first European goal, but West Ham’s winning streak on the continent came to an end with a 1-1 draw away at Gent. On the stroke of half-time, Ings tucked away Jarrod Bowen’s cross, thanks in no little part to a Gent ball boy, to give Gent the advantage in the first leg of the European Conference League quarter-final.
But, West Ham’s defence failed them down after the half, allowing Gent attacker Hugo Cuypers to score the equalizer, leaving the tie precariously balanced for the second leg at the London Stadium next week.
The Hammers may be suffering in the Premier League, but their European triumphs – they came into this game with a flawless 10 out of 10 victory record – have sparked real expectations that a disappointing season might yet turn into a memorable one with their first title in 43 years.
Gent custodian Davy Roef dropped Bowen’s cross under stress from Nayef Aguerd, but a VAR review ruled it to be a handball by the Moroccan defender.
They did, though, grab the lead on the stroke of halftime as Vladimir Coufal caught Gent off guard with a fast throw. Manager David Moyes had already been sent off for striking a ball at a ball boy during their semi-final loss to Eintracht Frankfurt last season.
He was grateful, though, to Gent’s youth, who drifted the ball directly to Coufal, enabling the right-back to immediately find Bowen in the box. Bowen crossed the ball across goal, and Ings, making his first European start for Liverpool since October 2015, poked in at the far post.
Second Half
Moyes was furious when Gent got the ball and his side pressed for the winning goal, but the final whistle blew and it’s all to play for in seven days.
Gent, on the other hand, drew level in the 57th minute as West Ham failed to follow their runners. Moyes was furious when Gent got the ball and his side pressed for the winning goal, but the final whistle blew and it’s all to play for in seven days.
Moyes was furious when Gent got the ball and his side pressed for the winning goal, but the final whistle blew and it’s all to play for in seven days.
In stoppage time, home defender Piatkowski received a red card, then restored after a review, for taking down Paqueta. Moyes was furious when Gent got the ball as his side pressed for the winning goal, but the final whistle blew and it’s all to play for in seven days.
