West Ham 2 Newcastle 2
This was about perseverance. While Newcastle could take satisfaction from recovering from a wretched first half by responding with a rapid double from Alexander Isak, West Ham finished as the happier side after rescuing a point thanks to a brilliant late equaliser from Mohammed Kudus.
A draw felt right after an engaging battle between two sides digging deep following draining midweek exertions in Europe. Newcastle had appeared to be running on empty after their evisceration of Paris Saint-Germain, only to dominate the second half, Isak scoring twice in the space of five minutes to put them ahead.
But West Ham, who had led early through a goal from Tomas Soucek, refused to lie down. Kudus, the £37 million summer signing from Ajax, came off the bench and displayed his skill by making it 2-2 with a shot from the edge of the area.
It became clear from the outset that Newcastle would not find it easy to summon the intensity that overwhelmed PSG. West Ham, buoyed by their victory over Freiburg in the Europa League, had complete faith in their suffocating tactics and ran the first half after going ahead with the game’s first attack of any note.
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West Ham’s opener, scored by Soucek after eight minutes of soporific play from both sides, was evidence of their ability to make a lot out of very little.
Nothing appeared to be brewing when Michail Antonio darted to the left to beat Jamal Lascelles to the ball. Newcastle’s mistake, though, was believing that to be the case. Their defensive shape was lacking with Lascelles pulled out of the centre and they were slow to react when Antonio laid a pass off to Lucas Paquetá, who waited for Emerson Palmieri to make his move before picking out the left-back’s surge from deep with a beautiful pass over the top.
Paquetá's vision left Newcastle reeling. Nick Pope flew off his line, hoping to mop up the danger, and was stranded when Emerson got there first. A touch from the Italy international took him round Pope and, though the angle was tight, support was arriving in the middle. Soucek, once again given freedom to push forward by David Moyes, was on his own in the six-yard box and was not going to pass up the chance to collect his fourth goal in six games.
Newcastle, who looked short of natural width without the suspended Anthony Gordon, took a while to regain their composure. Sean Longstaff smashed a pass out of play. It summed up the difference between the sides when Bruno Guimarães picked up a booking after being beaten to a loose ball by Emerson. Newcastle were fortunate not to go down to 10 men when Guimarães committed another foul moments later, cynically tripping James Ward-Prowse as the West Ham midfielder tried to start another counterattack.
Compact and physical, West Ham were giving little away. Edson Álvarez was performing his duties in defensive midfield, though Newcastle edged back into the contest as half-time approached. The quick feet of Isak gave them hope up front, as did Miguel Almirón sending a rasping shot inches wide from 20 yards. Dan Burn also went close with a glancing header.
With Sandro Tonali and Guimarães seeing more of the ball in midfield, there was a sense that West Ham would need another goal. It was a concern for Moyes that Jarrod Bowen, who is close to signing a new long-term deal, was finding few opportunities to run at Burn on the right. Antonio, a handful for Lascelles and Fabian Schär, was still waiting for his first sight of goal.
West Ham threatened at the start of the second half, Álvarez heading wide from Ward-Prowse’s corner, but there was more urgency from Newcastle. Sharper passing allowed them to find gaps in between the lines. Almirón was picking up some clever positions and the equaliser almost arrived when Isak sent a cross to the far post after drifting to the right in the 57th minute, only for Alphonse Areola to push Burn’s header away.
The pressure was growing, as was West Ham’s irritation with the refereeing. They seethed when Paquetá, whose influence on the left had increased, was penalised for a foul, but they failed to switch on when Kieran Trippier delivered the free-kick. Álvarez’s desperate attempt at a clearing header fell straight to Isak, who scored with a powerful shot.
It was not long before the visitors led. Just after the hour Guimarães had time to lift his head and pick out Trippier’s run down the right. West Ham had fallen apart. Trippier volleyed the ball across and Isak, lurking behind Nayef Aguerd, converted from close range.
Newcastle chased a third, with Elliot Anderson and Isak missing chances. West Ham introduced Kudus and Said Benrahma but it seemed their hopes were over when Ward-Prowse whipped a free-kick over.
Yet there is resilience under Moyes. With two minutes left Vladimir Coufal charged down the right and played a pass inside to Kudus. The Ghana international took one touch to set himself before lashing a stunning drive past Pope with his left foot.
The mood changed. West Ham went after a winner during six minutes of added-time and almost got one when Bowen cut inside from the right and aimed for the far post. Newcastle were relieved to see Pope push the winger’s shot away. – Guardian
