West Ham Conference League Winners
To say that West Ham United winning Europa Conference League title was a long time coming is a bit of an understatement. Given that the last time that the London-based side had claimed European honors none of their current players were even born and their manager David Moyes was 2 it is a bit of testament to their supporters for how long they have waited. After years of waiting the side finally did it, defeating Fiorentina 2-1 to claim their first European trophy since 1964-1965’s Cup Winners Cup.
After a Conference League campaign which saw the Hammers outscored their opponents 27-7 and Fiorentina netted 32 goals, the expectation coming in was that it would be a high scoring affair. But those that traveled to the Fortuna Arena in Prague were instead treated to a defensive battle in the first half. West Ham’s Declan Rice nearly had the game’s opening goal in the 13th minute when connected on a cross from Kurt Zouma and fired a low shot from distance. Although his chance went wide of the mark, the Europa Conference League player of the year was a constant presence on the attack, making pinpoint passes to the outside while trying to break open Fiorentina’s center backs.
Fiorentina had their own chances to take the lead in the first half. Four minutes into extratime, Luka Jovc headed home a carefully placed cross into the box by Christian Kouame, initially giving I Viola the advantage. However, the assistant referee’s flag had been raised for an offside call. After having the play checked by VAR the call was reversed keeping the score level.
In the second half, West Ham received a favorable handball call in the 62nd minute when Cristiano Biraghi was called for an infraction. Midfielder SaId Benrahma lined up to take the ensuing penalty kick and buried his chance, giving the Hammers the 1-0 advantage.
Despite going down a goal under spurious circumstances, Fiorentina responded quickly with Giacomo Bonaventura netting the equalizer just five minutes later. The two sides would then trade attacking chances through the final half hour, both coming very close to getting the go-ahead goal.
In the end, it was West Ham that would find the breakthrough. In the ninetieth minute, midfielder Lucas Paqueta found a surging Jarrod Bowen on the counter-attack lacing a pass into open space for the English attacker. Bowen broke past the Fiorentina defense and lifted his shot over goalkeeper Pietro Terraciano to earn the 2-1 win and top honors.
“It’s just the best feeling I’ve ever had in my career,” said Bowen after the match. “When I went through, I had a lot of time, and it was just ‘put the ball away’. I don’t know if I fell over, but the ball was going in and I thought: ‘This is not happening.’ I’ve been talking to my family all week thinking what it would be like to score a goal in the last minute of a final.”
With the victory, West Ham not only secured top honors, their first European trophy since 1964-1965, and a 4.5 million pounds in winners’ money but also a spot in next year’s Europa League group stage.
