Genk vs West Ham United. UEFA Europa League Group H.
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Report as West Ham draw 2-2 at Genk in the Europa League; Said Benrahma had scored twice as the Hammers came from behind to lead 2-1; a Tomas Soucek own goal costs the visitors all three points in Belgium; Dinamo Zagreb's win against Rapid Vienna sees West Ham through from Group H
Thursday 4 November 2021 22:59, UK
An own goal from Tomas Soucek cost David Moyes victory in his 1,000th match as a manager as West Ham were held to a 2-2 draw by Genk, but other results saw them qualify for the Europa League knockout stages.
Said Benrahma had scored twice as West Ham came from behind to lead 2-1 in their Europa League clash in Belgium.
But luckless substitute Soucek inadvertently headed a late cross inside the near post to leave the Hammers with just a point.
However, later on Thursday, Dinamo Zagreb beat Rapid Vienna 3-1 to see West Ham qualify for the knockout rounds, although the Hammers must wait to see if they finish at Group H winners. If they do, they receive a bye to the last-16, with the last-32 now contested by group runners-up and Champions League third-place group finishers.
The Hammers had swatted Genk aside 3-0 in London a fortnight ago, but the Belgians have since arrested a domestic slump and scored six goals in each of their last two matches.
The first bump in the road on West Ham's continental journey came in only the fourth minute.
They were caught napping by a ball in behind which Joseph Paintsil raced onto and fired across Alphonse Areola, who got a hand to the shot but could not keep it out.
It was the first goal West Ham had conceded in the competition, and they could have shipped more in a chastening start for a side on an eight-match unbeaten run away from home.
Genk captain Bryan Heynen's header was tipped over the crossbar, Paul Onuachu nodded straight at Areola, before Paintsil broke clear again and squared for lively Japan playmaker Junya Ito, who made a mess of his shot in front of goal.
West Ham did fashion some chances to equalise, with Craig Dawson's header acrobatically tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt, who also denied Benrahma from close range, while Michail Antonio had a shot somehow cleared off the line.
But it was an incredibly sloppy first half from the visitors, so much so that it was difficult to imagine many of Moyes' previous 999 half-time team talks being as animated as the one he surely dished out here.
West Ham came out with more intensity after the break and Moyes made a triple substitution just before the hour with Antonio among those making way, probably with one eye on Liverpool's visit at the weekend.
They hauled themselves level moments later. Manuel Lanzini sent Coufal overlapping down the right and his pull-back was swept home by Benrahma.
West Ham tails were up and Coufal was inches wide from Aaron Cresswell's cross, as was Dawson with a far-post header.
With 10 minutes remaining Benrahma scored a fine solo goal, nudging the ball one side of defender Mujaid Sadick and skipping past him on the other before poking home at the near post.
But with three minutes to go Soucek inadvertently glanced a cross from Genk substitute Angelo Preciado past Areola to deny Moyes victory on his big night.
● Genk's 87th minute equaliser saw them avoid defeat in a European home game for the first time since October 2019 (0-0 v Napoli in the UEFA Champions League), ending a run of four consecutive defeats on home soil in European competition.
● West Ham remain unbeaten in the UEFA Europa League this season (W3 D1), with this being their longest run without defeat in a major European competition since 1975 in the Cup Winners' Cup (also four games).
● West Ham conceded their first goals in the UEFA Europa League this season, with Genk ending their run of 273 minutes without conceding since their opening game of the campaign.
● Joseph Paintsil has scored three goals in his last four starts for Genk in the UEFA Europa League. Indeed, since making his first appearance for the club in the competition in September 2018, no player has scored more than his tally of three goals for Genk.
● Said Benrahma has been directly involved in nine goals in 15 appearances for West Ham in all competitions this season (six goals, three assists), already surpassing his tally for the club from last season (8 in 33 appearances).
West Ham boss David Moyes: "I think on reflection a draw is the right result. Genk started better and we needed our keeper to make some good saves.
"In the end we got two goals and it looked like it would be enough but for the own goal. Lots of credit to Genk.
"I'd slightly altered things, and I changed it round again after 20 minutes and after that some of our football was really good, we just couldn't find the finish.
"I look at it that we've qualified, and the other part of it is we're still new to this. We are trying to keep players fresh for the Premier League, so somewhere along the line it was going to get bumpy. And Genk made it bumpy.
"I thought Said played well tonight, he did a lot of good things which in recent games I've not been so sure, and getting a couple of goals will help him, so good on him.
"I've not really taken that in yet (on his milestone match). As a manager you're just thinking about the last minute so I'll probably reflect on it later.
"But it's quite hard to believe that I've got there and it's a moment I'll always remember, an away game in Europe. And the game will always be remembered for when Tomas Soucek scored an own goal."
West Ham go into the international break with a huge game on Super Sunday against second-placed Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm; kick-off at 4.30pm.
