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Last updated on 1 minute ago.From the section European Football
West Ham made nine changes to their side from the weekendMohammed Kudus scored his first West Ham goal as the Europa Conference League holders came from behind to beat Serbian side Backa Topola in the opening game of their Europa League group campaign.
The Hammers enjoyed one of the finest nights in their history back in June when they beat Fiorentina in Prague to win the Conference League.
But they were given an early taste of the challenge facing them following their elevation to the continent's second-tier competition.
The visitors, also known as TSC, were disciplined, determined and handed the chance of a famous win by an awful error from Angelo Ogbonna that allowed Petar Stanic to rob him of possession before running on to finish past Lukasz Fabianski.
But West Ham know the score now on these European nights and, despite a wobble after conceding they dusted themselves down, made changes and dragged their way to victory.
Kudus was in the mix for the leveller, his presence at the back post enough to force Nemanja Petrovic to bundle Said Benrahma's cross into his own net.
The summer signing from Ajax did get his goal soon after, nodding a James Ward-Prowse corner through a crowd and into the far corner.
The home side ensured a stress-free close to the game when substitute Tomas Soucek headed home from another Ward-Prowse corner eight minutes from time.
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West Ham United
Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Squad number24Player nameKehrer
Squad number15Player nameMavropanos
Squad number21Player nameOgbonna
Squad number3Player nameCresswell
Squad number7Player nameWard-Prowse
Squad number10Player nameLucas Paquetá
Squad number14Player nameKudus
Squad number8Player nameFornals
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Squad number18Player nameIngs
Squad number9Player nameAntonio
Squad number17Player nameCornet
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Squad number33Player nameEmerson
Backa Topola
Squad number1Player nameSimic
Squad number29Player nameCvetkovic
Squad number25Player nameDordevic
Squad number18Player nameStojic
Squad number17Player nameAntonic
Squad number30Player namePetrovic
Squad number14Player nameStanic
Squad number7Player nameRadin
Squad number21Player nameKuveljic
Squad number8Player nameJovanovic
Squad number35Player nameDakovac
Squad number10Player nameMirchevski
Squad number32Player nameCirkovic
Squad number37Player nameVulic
Squad number44Player nameKrstic
Squad number97Player nameRakonjac
Line-ups
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 24KehrerBooked at 41mins
- 15Mavropanos
- 21Ogbonna
- 3CresswellSubstituted forEmersonat 45'minutes
- 7Ward-Prowse
- 10Lucas PaquetáSubstituted forCornetat 86'minutes
- 14Kudus
- 8FornalsSubstituted forAntonioat 61'minutes
- 22Benrahma
- 18IngsSubstituted forSoucekat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Johnson
- 4Zouma
- 5Coufal
- 9Antonio
- 17Cornet
- 23Areola
- 27Aguerd
- 28Soucek
- 32Coventry
- 33Emerson
- 45Mubama
- 49Anang
Backa Topola
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Simic
- 29Cvetkovic
- 25DordevicSubstituted forKrsticat 69'minutes
- 18Stojic
- 17Antonic
- 30PetrovicSubstituted forRakonjacat 81'minutes
- 14Stanic
- 7Radin
- 21KuveljicBooked at 32minsSubstituted forVulicat 80'minutes
- 8JovanovicSubstituted forMirchevskiat 90+2'minutes
- 35DakovacSubstituted forCirkovicat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Milovanovic
- 10Mirchevski
- 12Ilic
- 23Jorgic
- 27Pantovic
- 32Cirkovic
- 37Vulic
- 44Krstic
- 77Vlalukin
- 88Sós
- 97Rakonjac
Live Text
Match ends, West Ham United 3, Backa Topola 1.
Second Half ends, West Ham United 3, Backa Topola 1.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Goran Antonic (Backa Topola).
Attempt missed. Marko Rakonjac (Backa Topola) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Petar Stanic following a set piece situation.
Substitution, Backa Topola. Martin Mirchevski replaces Sasa Jovanovic.
Foul by Michail Antonio (West Ham United).
Milos Cvetkovic (Backa Topola) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Aleksandar Cirkovic (Backa Topola) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sasa Jovanovic.
Emerson (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Milan Radin (Backa Topola).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Sasa Jovanovic (Backa Topola).
Attempt missed. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse with a cross following a corner.
Substitution, West Ham United. Maxwel Cornet replaces Lucas Paquetá.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Vukasin Krstic.
Attempt blocked. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Tomás Soucek (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Saïd Benrahma.
Konstantinos Mavropanos (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Marko Rakonjac (Backa Topola).
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