Rapid Vienna 0-2 West Ham United: Hammers move into Europa League last 16

2 years ago 83

ARTICLE AD BOX

West Ham secured their place in the Europa League last 16 with a win against Rapid Vienna in a match played behind closed doors in Austria.

Andriy Yarmolenko put the Hammers ahead just before half-time when he headed in at the back post from Nikola Vlasic's cross.

Minutes later, Yarmolenko was fouled by Maximilian Hofmann and captain Mark Noble fired the resulting penalty into the top corner to double their lead.

David Moyes' side are now guaranteed to win Group H with a game to spare.

The Hammers won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965 and lost in the 1976 final. Their run in this season's Europa League is already their best performance in European competition since 1980-81.

Europa League and Conference League reaction

Professional Hammers avoid play-off to cruise into last 16

The Hammers were already guaranteed a top-two spot after collecting 10 points from their opening four matches, but this victory ensured they would finish top.

That means they avoid the qualifying round play-off in February - when the eight Europa League group runners-up face the teams that finish third in their Champions League groups - and move straight into the following phase, the last 16, in March.

There was an eerie atmosphere at the Allianz Stadion, which can host more than 28,000 people.

Increasing numbers of Covid-19 cases in Austria forced the game to be held behind closed doors, although West Ham fans had already been banned from attending following crowd trouble in the away game versus Belgian side Genk.

It was a far cry from the Hammers' 2-0 win over Rapid Vienna at a packed London Stadium in September - in West Ham's first-ever home Europa League group game.

Nevertheless, manager Moyes would still have been delighted with the professional performance from his team after making eight changes from the side that began the 1-0 loss to Wolves on Saturday.

Jarrod Bowen, starting up front with Michail Antonio rested, had a good chance to open the scoring but slid an effort just wide after Arthur Masuaku's excellent low cross from the left.

But the Hammers continued to dominate possession and two goals at the end of the first half gave them deserved control of the game.

Bowen and Tomas Soucek both had efforts saved after the break with Rapid Vienna unable to test visiting goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

With qualification secured, 17-year-old striker Sonny Perkins, who played for England Under-18s earlier this month, was handed his Hammers debut with 13 minutes remaining.

Perkins nearly made an instant impact, but saw a powerful header tipped over by Paul Gartler.

West Ham, fourth in the Premier League, visit Manchester City on Sunday, and Moyes will be able to rest more players in their final Europa League group match, at home to Dinamo Zagreb on 9 December.

How to play

Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection

Rapid Vienna

Squad number25Player nameGartler
Squad number22Player nameStojkovic
Squad number4Player nameAiwu
Squad number20Player nameHofmann
Squad number26Player nameMoormann
Squad number16Player namePetrovic
Squad number5Player nameLjubicic
Squad number36Player nameArase
Squad number8Player nameKnasmüllner
Squad number32Player nameKitagawa
Squad number9Player nameFountas

Squad number10Player nameBallo
Squad number14Player nameGrahovac
Squad number18Player nameStrunz
Squad number27Player nameGrüll
Squad number29Player nameKara

West Ham United

Squad number13Player nameAreola
Squad number5Player nameCoufal
Squad number15Player nameDawson
Squad number23Player nameDiop
Squad number26Player nameMasuaku
Squad number16Player nameNoble
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Squad number7Player nameYarmolenko
Squad number10Player nameLanzini
Squad number11Player nameVlasic
Squad number20Player nameBowen

Squad number8Player nameFornals
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Squad number24Player nameFredericks
Squad number33Player nameKrál
Squad number64Player namePerkins

Line-ups

Rapid Vienna

Formation 4-2-3-1

25Gartler
22Stojkovic
4Aiwu
20Hofmann
26Moormann
16Petrovic
5LjubicicSubstituted forGrahovacat 90+1'minutes
36AraseSubstituted forBalloat 75'minutes
8KnasmüllnerSubstituted forGrüllat 59'minutes
32KitagawaSubstituted forKaraat 59'minutes
9FountasSubstituted forStrunzat 90+1'minutes

Substitutes

10Ballo
13Schick
14Grahovac
18Strunz
23Auer
27Grüll
29Kara
31Ullmann
33Dijakovic
37Sulzbacher
45Hedl
50Orgler

West Ham

Formation 4-2-3-1

13Areola
5Coufal
15Dawson
23Diop
26MasuakuSubstituted forFredericksat 78'minutes
16Noble
28SoucekSubstituted forKrálat 65'minutes
7Yarmolenko
10LanziniSubstituted forFornalsat 65'minutes
11VlasicSubstituted forPerkinsat 78'minutes
20BowenSubstituted forBenrahmaat 65'minutes

Substitutes

3Cresswell
4Zouma
8Fornals
22Benrahma
24Fredericks
31Johnson
33Král
35Randolph
41Rice
42Alese
51Chesters
64Perkins

Live Text

Match ends, Rapid Vienna 0, West Ham United 2.
Second Half ends, Rapid Vienna 0, West Ham United 2.
Attempt missed. Thierno Ballo (Rapid Vienna) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ercan Kara.
Substitution, Rapid Vienna. Oliver Strunz replaces Taxiarchis Fountas.
Substitution, Rapid Vienna. Srdjan Grahovac replaces Robert Ljubicic.
Attempt missed. Ercan Kara (Rapid Vienna) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Robert Ljubicic with a cross.
Offside, West Ham United. Saïd Benrahma tries a through ball, but Pablo Fornals is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Taxiarchis Fountas (Rapid Vienna) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Robert Ljubicic.
Attempt missed. Thierno Ballo (Rapid Vienna) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Dejan Petrovic.
Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Robert Ljubicic (Rapid Vienna).
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Paul Gartler.
Attempt saved. Sonny Perkins (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Vladimir Coufal with a cross.
Substitution, West Ham United. Sonny Perkins replaces Nikola Vlasic.
Substitution, West Ham United. Ryan Fredericks replaces Arthur Masuaku.
Attempt saved. Dejan Petrovic (Rapid Vienna) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Robert Ljubicic.
Substitution, Rapid Vienna. Thierno Ballo replaces Kelvin Arase.
Offside, Rapid Vienna. Robert Ljubicic tries a through ball, but Kelvin Arase is caught offside.
Attempt blocked. Robert Ljubicic (Rapid Vienna) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Taxiarchis Fountas.
Attempt missed. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Vladimir Coufal.