After the break, Bowen, still a lively presence despite only passing a late fitness test, robbed Piero Hincapie in the area only to pull his shot across the goal. West Ham bowed out of the Europa League but only after giving new German champions Bayer Leverkusen an almighty fright. More Football News. At the very least West Ham knew they needed a fast start, and both the team and the crowd were instantly unrecognisable from the meek home defeat by Fulham four days earlier.
But the first goal was always going to have to come from West Ham if they were going to make anything resembling a contest out of it, and it arrived in the 14th minute when Jarrod Bowen swung a cross into the box.
Antonio got above Leverkusen centre-half Odilon Kossounou and in front of keeper Matej Kovar to guide his header into the net as a raucous home crowd genuinely started to believe something special could be in the air. It was almost two four minutes later when Mohammed Kudus shook off the attentions of Kossounou and hit a deflected shot which Kovar did well to smother.
It was enough to rattle Alonso, who removed Kossounou from the firing line with less than half an hour gone, the Ivory Coast defender heading straight down the tunnel. Alonso made two further changes at the break, with big guns Victor Boniface and Frimpong called into action.
After the break Bowen, still a lively presence despite only passing a late fitness test, robbed Piero Hincapie in the area only to pull his shot across goal. But Leverkusen were finding their rhythm. Frimpong should have wrapped up the tie with 10 minutes left when he raced through one-on-one with Fabianski, only to lift his shot way over the crossbar. Polytechnic College, Bandra. Day In Pics: January 31, Stats Perform. Updated on: 19 April am. Getting your Trinity Audio player ready Bayer Leverkusen celebrate their victory.
