West Ham ensured their 100 percent record was intact as they produced one of the comfortable football results of the midweek action in the Europa Conference League. With the top spot already secured, Hammers manager David Moyes made 10 changes for the trip to Bucharest, including giving debuts to teenagers Oliver Scarles, 16, and Divin Mubama, 18. As West Ham cruised to victory in Romania, Pablo Fornals scored two goals on either side of Mubama’s deflected header (56), which was later ruled to be an own goal by Joyskim Dawa. After winning all six of their games, West Ham took first place in Group B. Anderlecht, who ended in second place with a 2-0 victory over Silkeborg with 10 men on the field, advanced to the knockout rounds. FCSB placed last.
Ben Johnson and Vladimir Coufal made mistakes in possession at the back as West Ham struggled to establish control of the ball against FCSB in Bucharest, who knew they would finish last in the group regardless of the outcome of the match. It was the two debutants, Scarles and Mubama, who gave West Ham life. The latter came dangerously close to converting a vicious low cross from his teammate, but FCSB goalkeeper Stefan Tarnovanu saved him. The breakthrough came from a looping long ball by Johnson to Fornals, who after some shoddy FCSB defending, finished it off with a lovely left-footed half-volley. The goal would not have stood if VAR had been used, according to replays.
Ten minutes after the half, Mubama connected with Coufal’s cross from the right and thought he had increased West Ham’s lead, but UEFA ruled it was an own goal by FCSB defender Dawa. Nine minutes later, Fornals scored again, this time in his 150th West Ham appearance, by hammering in the rebound after Tarnovanu spilled Scarles’ cross. As Freddie Potts, Keenan Forson, Harrison Ashby, Kamarai Simon-Swyer, and played a role, West Ham was secure enough for Moyes to add five additional academy graduates, three of whom were teens.
For more football results, click here
