West Ham proceeds into Europa Conference League quarter-finals with thumping 4-0 win over AEK Larnaca .West Ham’s impressive Europa Conference League campaign continued on Thursday night as they cruised into the quarter-finals with a thumping 4-0 win over 10-man AEK Larnaca.
David Moyes’ side, who were already two goals ahead from the first leg, were in complete control at the London Stadium as they ran out comfortable 6-0 winners on aggregate.
Gianluca Scamacca scored the game’s first goal (20), and shortly before halftime, Gustavo Ledes was dismissed for a late tackle on Pablo Fornals, making things much easier for the home team. After a remarkable goal by 18-year-old Divin Mubama, who scored his first goal for the Hammers, Jarrod Bowen struck twice in two second-half minutes.
The sweeping victory, West Ham’s 10th straight win in the Europa Conference League this season, qualifies them for the final eight draws on Friday, March 17, 2023. The Irons were on top from the start, and Scamacca came close to opening the scoring when his shot from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar by Kenan Piric.
The £35.5m striker got the goal his performance deserved when he poked a loose ball through the keeper’s legs from close range.
The linesman’s flag denied the visitors a plan, and their misery was compounded when Ledes was sent off for a studs-up tackle on Fornals. West Ham took full advantage of the numerical superiority as Bowen scored two goals in two second-half minutes. The first was a close-range finish after Scamacca’s shot was parried to him at the far post before heading in from a corner.
Local boy Mubama then capped off a memorable night for the Hammers when he flicked in from Tomas Soucek’s header at an intersection – his first senior goal for the club. The victory puts West Ham in a second European quarter-final in consecutive seasons after they reached the Europa League semi-finals last year. Manager David Moyes was delighted with the performance and paid tribute to the youngsters who stepped up without some key players.
The Irons will eagerly await the draw on Friday to see who they will face in the quarter-finals. With several top teams still in the competition, Moyes expects a tough challenge ahead. With West Ham’s impressive form in the Europa Conference League, they will be looking to make history by becoming the first English team to lift the trophy.