KAA Gent 1-1 West Ham United: Hammers claim draw in Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg
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ByEurosport
Updated 13/04/2023 at 19:31 GMT
Hugo Cuypers cancelled out Danny Ings’ first-half goal as West Ham and Gent played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League tie at the Ghelamco Arena. The home side were in the ascendancy for large swathes of the match but West Ham managed to hold on to secure the draw. The return leg is on April 20 at the London Stadium.
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Danny Ings netted his first goal in Europe but West Ham were fortunate to escape the Ghelamco Arena with a 1-1 draw against a dominant Gent in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final.
Ings gave The Hammers the lead in stoppage-time of the first half before Hugo Cuypers’ 57th-minute equaliser salvaged a deserved draw for the in-form Belgian hosts.
West Ham had to withstand 40 minutes of pressure in the first half before finding the net twice in seven minutes - although only one stood.
The visitors were handed a gift when Gent goalkeeper Davy Roef dropped Jarrod Bowen’s corner delivery with the ball hitting Nayef Aguerd and falling over the line. But it was disallowed after a VAR check which determined that it had struck the hand of the West Ham defender.
It would have been a goal against the run of play such was Gent’s dominance, but it had clearly rattled the hosts and just minutes later West Ham took the lead when Bowen controlled Vladimir Coufal’s quick throw, rolled it across the face of goal and left Ings with a tap-in.
But West Ham were finally undone just shy of the hour-mark when the dangerous Cuypers scored his fifth goal of the competition following a nice move involving Alessio Castro-Montes.
Bowen blew an opportunity to restore West Ham's lead but ultimately the Premier League side had to ride their luck to take a 1-1 draw back to the London Stadium on April 20, with Gift Orban striking the woodwork with an acrobatic effort and substitute Tarik Tissoudali missing a gilt-edged chance.
There was also late drama involving VAR as a red card shown to Gent defender Kamil Piatkowski for sliding in on Lucas Paqueta was overturned.
The winners of this tie will face the victor of Anderlecht v AZ Alkmaar.
Talking point - Below-par West Ham lucky to remain in tie
David Moyes may not be happy with his side’s performance but he will undoubtedly be relieved to have held Gent to a draw at a packed and lively Ghelamco Arena.
Gent have lost just one of their previous 15 home games and boast two of Europe’s in-form strikers in Orban and Cuypers. And on another day, the Belgian side would have won comfortably such was the number of opportunities they created.
In a forgettable season domestically that could yet end in relegation from the Premier League, West Ham have a rare chance of lifting European silverware - but they will count themselves fortunate to still be in the tie. They had won their previous 10 games in this competition but Gent offered them a wake-up call and The Hammers will have to be much improved in the second leg to advance.
Player of the match - Hugo Cuypers (Gent)
Grabbed Gent's equaliser but his all-round contribution was immense, his movement creating space for team-mates and his range of passing crafting multiple chances.
Player ratings
Gent: Roef 7, Castro-Montes 7, Piqtowski 8, Okumu 8, Torunarigha 6, Hong 7, Kums 7, De Sart 7, Fofana 6, Cuypers 8*, Orban 8.. subs: Nurio 5, Odjidja-Ofoe 5, Samoise 5, Tissoudali N/A
West Ham: Areola 7, Coufal 6, Johnson 5, Aguerd 5, Ogbonna 6, Emerson 5, Rice 6, Downes 5, Lanzini 5, Bowen 7, Ings 6.. subs: Cresswell N/A, Antonio 5, Paqueta 7, Benrahma 5.
Match highlights
41’ - GOAL DISALLOWED BY VAR! Against the run of play, West Ham have the ball in the back of the net! It's a huge error from the goalkeeper! Bowen delivers a corner, it looks like catching practice for Roef but inexplicably he drops it! The ball hits Aguerd and it falls over the line! But hold on... it's going to VAR and it's determined that the ball hit the hand of Ageurd. It's a huge let off for Gent!
45’+3 - GOAL! GENT 0-1 WEST HAM (DANNY INGS): This one will count! Ings has his first goal in European football. Gent's defence falls asleep as Coufal takes a quick long throw, finding Bowen. He rolls the ball across the face of goal leaving Ings with a tap-in.
57’ - GOAL! GENT 1-1 WEST HAM (HUGO CUYPERS): Gent's top goalscorer domestically Hugo Cuypers levels the scores. The striker plays a give-and-go with Castro-Montes, a move that takes Rice and others out of the equation, and he keeps his cool to knock it past Areola.
82’ - OFF THE WOODWORK! What an effort from Orban. Great improvisation from the Gent striker as he tries an acrobatic overhead kick that catches Areola out only for the ball to crash off the crossbar.
86’ - GENT MISS! Tissoudali, only on the pitch a matter of minutes, should win the game for Gent! He exchanges passes with Samoiose and from point-blank range he stabs it wide!
Key stat
Gent have ended West Ham's 100% win record in the Europa Conference League this season.
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