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AZ Alkmaar dominated proceedings and their efforts paid off with Tijjani Reijnders giving them the lead at the end of the first half. The London Stadium crowd did not let up and were rewarded with their faith as West Ham made a second-half comeback.
Said Benrahma scored from the spot to equalize while Michail Antonio made the score 2-1 in the 75th minute. West Ham have a slender lead in the duel and will fancy their chances in the return leg in Alkmaar.
The Hammers have one leg in the Europa Conference League finals and the fans will surely be blowing bubbles in jubilation. It is a remarkable tale of resilience that puts them in reach of a first major trophy since 1980. And all of this has happened in the backdrop of a relegation battle in the Premier League.
The only London club left in European competition this season.
West Ham are one game away from the Europa Conference League final 👏 pic.twitter.com/2tqV3LunHx
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) May 11, 2023
Poignant Moyes Remains Cautious
West Ham were bossed by their rivals in possession but it did not impact their goalscoring threat. Despite having less time on the ball, they had 18 shots on goal to the Dutch side’s 8. Their resilience paid off in the come-from-behind victory.
The Londoners are favourites in the second-leg affair but manager David Moyes has asked for caution. The tactician has seen plenty of ups and downs in the current campaign and knows that the job is not done. In a restrained manner, Moyes praised his charges for their efforts and hailed their resilient attitude.
“We’ve got a narrow lead but nothing more than that,” said Moyes. “The tie is very evenly balanced, there is very little in the game, if we were losing by a goal I wouldn’t be saying we were out of the tie.
“I’m pleased we’ve got ourselves in front, which is a big thing. It was a difficult night,” the former Everton and Manchester United coach added. “I hugely believe we’ve got a big resilience here, through the club, through the team, and we’ve needed it.
“We have a big job to do next week.”
👏🏻| You were brilliant tonight, Hammers, thank you for your incredible support, we wish you all a safe journey home! ⚒️#HammersHelp pic.twitter.com/CCvjmkEnz5
— Supporter Services (@WestHamHelp) May 11, 2023
Success in the Backdrop of Relegation
It has been a troubling campaign for West Ham. The Hammers still have an outside chance of going down but will be pleased with their recent results. They entered this fixture on the back of a 1-0 win over Manchester United and will surely be buoyed by their chance of European silverware.
The board’s backing of Moyes is paying dividends and needs to be lauded for their faith in the Scotsman. He has taken them from an ailing squad of misfits into European contenders, punching above their weight every time.
West Ham legend, Mark Noble, was pleased with the club’s decision to stick with Moyes at the helm and not add to the growing list of managers losing their jobs in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.
The retired midfielder backed the manager despite their relegation battles. He acknowledged his pedigree in the English top-flight and hailed him for steadying their ship in acrimonious conditions.
“No-one has hidden from it,” Noble shared. “The manager has been clear. The Premier League is a demanding league and for a long time we have been in a relegation battle.
“He knows the game as well as anyone. He knows the pressure he was under. Fourteen managers have been changed this year in the Premier League. It is madness.
“We stuck with David and it looks like he has got us out of trouble and we are in a European semi-final, which is fantastic. We can start looking forward now.”
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