Jarrod Bowen equals club record as Hammers edge closer to Europa Conference League progression
West Ham earned a crucial 2-1 victory over Anderlecht, securing their place in the knockout stages of the Europa Conference League. Despite being without striker Michail Antonio and choosing to rest Gianluca Scamacca, manager David Moyes saw his team control the match, utilising a flexible attack that caused problems for the Belgian side’s defence.
Deploying Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen as split strikers, the pair helped create significant space for playmaker Lucas Paquetá. West Ham’s dominance in the first half was reflected in their early goal when Benrahma curled in a stunning free-kick from distance to give them the lead just after 15 minutes. Bowen doubled their advantage shortly after, scoring his sixth European goal with a powerful finish from inside the box, following a slick drag-back pass from Emerson Palmieri.
In the second half, injury concerns overshadowed the action as Angelo Ogbonna limped off, replaced by Craig Dawson, who too was forced off with an injury after colliding with teammate Flynn Downes. Despite these setbacks, West Ham remained largely in control, although the final moments became tense when Ben Johnson fouled Sebastiano Esposito in the box, allowing the Anderlecht forward to score from the penalty spot.
Though six minutes of added time created a tense finish, West Ham held on for a well-deserved win. The victory not only moved them closer to the knockout rounds but also gave them vital momentum ahead of their Premier League clash against Southampton. With one more win against Silkeborg, they can avoid extra matches in the Conference League after the World Cup break.
