A year ago
Michail Antonio scored two times as West Ham put their homegrown conflict behind them with a 2-0 triumph over AEK Larnaca in the Europa Meeting Association. The Hammers may be working in the Head Association however they are taking care of Europe's third-level rivalry after seven successes from seven matches.
David Moyes' side passed on stormy London to take in hotter climes on the rear of a sorry 4-0 loss at Brighton which provoked the away fans to turn on the under-tension supervisor. However, following a day of daylight and brew, the voyaging support were feeling undeniably less mutinous on the Cyprus coast. Larnaca were supported by rowdy home following of 8,000 in a curious arena decked out in green and yellow, similar to a rambunctious Carrow Street.
There was an unmistakable pre-season accommodating feel to the last-16 first-leg experience. At a certain point a feline took steps to attack the pitch yet, maybe careful that Kurt Zouma was back in the West Ham group, it adjusted its perspective and ran off.
Moyes rolled out seven improvements from the Brighton catastrophe, yet regardless of the clear bay in class West Ham actually wound up under tension in a cheeky first half, with the minnows driving three corners one after another. Rafael Lopes headed one of them barely over before Gustavo Ledes terminated excessively high from the edge of the container.
However, West Ham in the long run assumed command, with Manuel Lanzini's shot flying only wide before Said Benrahma's work, after a mazy run into the case, was held by home goalkeeper Kenan Piric. They made the leap forward in the 36th moment, Benrahma wandering aimlessly down the left again prior to crossing for Antonio to head home.
Antonio added a brilliant second in first-half stoppage time, controlling Declan Rice's miss prior to looking and twisting the ball into the top corner from 20 yards. The striker might have finished an ideal full go-around after the split when he was teed up by Benrahma, yet his left-footed shot returned off within the close to post and moved across objective.
Lucas Paqueta ought to have added a late third after he was sent through by individual substitute Maxwel Cornet, yet Piric made a fine save. By and by, the second leg at the London Arena one week from now ought to be a convention, while first it has returned to the normal everyday employment for West Ham and an essential gathering with Aston Manor on Sunday.
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