West Ham’s Europa League Hopes in Doubt as Last-Minute Penalty Denied
West Ham United’s hopes of progressing in the Europa League were dealt a blow as they were denied a last-minute penalty in their match against Freiburg. The decision came after a lengthy VAR check over claims of a handball by Noah Weisshaupt. The incident left the frustrated West Ham players and fans flabbergasted as the German defender’s hand was clearly above his head when Tomas Soucek’s shot struck his arm.
The match started off on a sour note for West Ham, with manager David Moyes visibly frustrated throughout the first half. Despite their improvements in the second half, it was their sloppy play that handed Freiburg the advantage, with Michael Gregoritsch scoring the only goal of the game. West Ham had been conceding possession too easily, but managed to defend against Freiburg’s constant crosses.
Although West Ham had their chances to win the game, they failed to capitalize on them. The team struggled to get a grip on proceedings in the first half, but improved after a lively half-time talk from Moyes. Lucas Paqueta, who had given the ball away frequently in the first half, became more dangerous on the hour mark and created opportunities for his team. However, West Ham were unable to take control of the game and were ultimately punished for their inability to retain possession.
Despite the disappointing result, there is still hope for West Ham to turn things around in the second leg. They have already beaten Freiburg twice in the group stage and will be looking to replicate those performances. However, they will need to significantly improve their overall gameplay if they want to progress further in the competition.
Conclusion
West Ham United’s hopes of advancing in the Europa League suffered a setback as they were denied a last-minute penalty against Freiburg. The team’s wastefulness and inability to retain possession proved costly, as they conceded the only goal of the game. However, there is still optimism that West Ham can salvage their Europa League campaign if they can deliver a much-improved performance in the second leg.