West Ham vs Freiburg LIVE: Europa League result and reaction after Kudus strikes twice including stunner
Follow all the latest updates from the Europa League clash at the London Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.West Ham have booked their place in the quarter-finals of Europe’s second-tier competition with an emphatic 5-0 win on the night, and 5-1 on aggregate against Freiburg.
The Hammers fell to a controversial 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie. David Moyes’ side were controversially denied a late penalty to level the match.
But in the return leg they fired on all cylinders. It started from Lucas Paqueta’s ninth-minute tap in to level the tie, before Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Cresswell and Mohammed Kudus also got their names on the score sheet.
Kudus’ first was the goal of the evening, a stunning individual effort that stemmed from him winning the ball by cutting out a ball inside his own half before running forward, leaving defenders in his wake to set up the shot and fire the ball into the corner of the goal.
In the pre-match press conference, Moyes insisted the club have been enjoying their recent European runs, he said: “If you want to be on the big stage, now is the time to act. If you can’t perform, don’t go on stage. From the first game we had in Europe, we’ve been on a good ride and no one wants that to end.” And the Hammers will have a chance to extend that after their win over Freiburg.
Follow all the live action in the blog below, and get the latest odds and tips here.
GOAL! Kudus makes it four! - West Ham 4-0 Freiburg (4-1)
GOAL! 77 mins: That was a stunning individual effort from Kudus to put the game beyond doubt.
He won the ball up inside his own half, cutting out a lacklustre pass and just left all the defenders and midfielders for dead, he has run so far before turning past the defence and slotting the ball into the back of the net.
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
76 mins: West Ham have been organised and attacked at the right times in this match, as well as having a killer instinct that Freiburg have lacked in the game so far.
Even when they should be pushing for a goal, there is not the intensity you would expect and their balls are being cut out.
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
73 mins: Alvarez has a yellow card for a clumsy and late challenge on Eggestein and as I understand it that rules him out of the first leg of the quarter final, should West Ham reach there.
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
71 mins: Again Freiburg break, but they just cannot get the ball through the hosts’ midfield and Kudus makes a key tackle to break up play.
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
70 mins: Fabianski has the ball again, but Rohl committed a foul in the process, so it will be a Hammers free kick inside their own area and a chance for the goalkeeper to launch the ball upfield.
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
68 mins: More substitutes from Freiburg to try and fight their way back into the match, but will it make a difference?
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
65 mins: The game has just become a bit dis-jointed.
It’s not clear whether that’s because of the substitutes or West Ham’s healthy advantage, but it’s definitely lacking in intensity.
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
62 mins: Freiburg make an attacking change, withdrawing their holding midfielder among others, as Lucas Paqueta will also be leaving the field for the Hammers.
He scored the crucial opening goal that sent them on the way to what is looking like victory, and James Ward-Prowse comes on.
West Ham 3-0 Freiburg (3-1)
60 mins: Freiburg have a chance to attack, but again it’s another wasted cross that goes straight into Fabianski’s hands.
Their attack has been slow and lacking intensity.
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