West Ham United Stage Comeback To Secure A Point As Danny Ings Troubles Former Club Burnley.
West Ham United Stage Comeback To Secure A Point As Danny Ings Troubles Former Club Burnley.
Danny Ings emerged as the savior for West Ham United, orchestrating a remarkable comeback from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Burnley in a thrilling Premier League encounter at the London Stadium.
Following a demanding journey to Germany for Europa League action, David Moyes’s squad appeared subdued in the first half, allowing Burnley to take a deserved two-goal lead by halftime courtesy of a sensational strike from David Datro Fofana and an own goal by Dinos Mavropanos.
However, West Ham quickly reignited their challenge after the break, with Lucas Paqueta narrowing the deficit almost immediately. Despite having one goal disallowed, Danny Ings made his mark by scoring his first Premier League goal of the season, ultimately ensuring a captivating showdown in the English capital.
Kalvin Phillips returned to the starting lineup for West Ham, replacing Edson Alvarez after their Europa League campaign against Freiburg, while Alphonse Areola, Aaron Cresswell, and Nayef Aguerd bolstered the defensive ranks.
Meanwhile, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany opted to stick with the same lineup from the previous weekend’s defeat to Bournemouth, with Josh Brownhill only making the bench following his suspension.
Kompany’s decision paid dividends early on as Burnley capitalized on their fatigued opponents, particularly exploiting space on the wings. The deadlock was spectacularly broken in the 18th minute when Chelsea loanee Datro Fofana evaded challenges from Phillips and Mavropanos before unleashing a stunning 30-yard strike into Areola’s top corner.\
A lethargic West Ham side finally stirred into action following Datro Fofana’s stunning goal, with Jarrod Bowen missing a headed opportunity in the 27th minute, closely followed by Mavropanos’s unsuccessful attempt on goal.
Early on, Burnley resorted to time-wasting and gamesmanship tactics, effectively frustrating the home team. Despite this, Moyes’s team failed to capitalize on any opportunities.
The situation worsened for the Europa Conference League champions in added time, as Jacob Bruun Larsen’s clever pass found Josh Cullen, whose cutback deflected off Mavropanos’s leg and into West Ham’s net.
At halftime, amidst boos from the crowd and in front of England manager Gareth Southgate, both Phillips and James Ward-Prowse were substituted for Alvarez and Michail Antonio.
However, West Ham quickly gained momentum in the second half, reducing the deficit within 30 seconds of the restart, as Maxime Esteve’s missed clearance allowed Paqueta to calmly slot the ball past Trafford.
With renewed energy and the crowd behind them, West Ham relentlessly pressed for a second goal. Despite some promising opportunities, including another chance for Paqueta in the 56th minute, they were unable to convert.
Mohammed Kudus also missed the target shortly after, highlighting West Ham’s wastefulness. However, Burnley remained a threat on the counter-attack despite not being fully pinned back in their own half.
Kompany’s team breathed a sigh of relief in the 76th minute when a Vladimir Coufal cross deflected off Charlie Taylor and rattled the crossbar, narrowly escaping past a beaten Trafford. Moments later, Trafford easily dealt with Tomas Soucek’s tame strike.
Burnley’s goalkeeper, however, couldn’t maintain his clean sheet as Danny Ings managed to put the ball past him in the 86th minute, capitalizing on Antonio’s clever chest pass. Yet, VAR intervened, ruling Antonio marginally offside in the build-up, much to Moyes’s frustration. However, the disappointment swiftly turned to joy for West Ham in the first minute of added time.
In a twist of fate, Mohammed Kudus outmuscled Lorenz Assignon on the left flank, delivering a cross that deflected towards Ings, who executed a sublime half-volley into the corner with his back to goal.
Ings nearly doubled the lead, striking the bar in the fifth minute of added time before Antonio’s mis-hit rebound. Areola then made a crucial save to deny Brownhill in Burnley’s last attacking move.
Despite the rollercoaster, West Ham remains seventh in the rankings, avoiding being overtaken by Brighton & Hove Albion, who won against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Burnley climbs off the bottom, edging ahead of Sheffield United on goal difference.
West Ham now prepares for the second leg of their Europa League last-16 clash with Freiburg, aiming to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, while Burnley hosts Brentford before the international break.
