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West Ham 1-1 West Brom
by Paul Donovan
at the Boleyn Ground
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic seemed more concerned yesterday about the loss of striker Diafra Sakho for the next few games than the result of this game.
He felt the visitors deserved something, given their second half performance. “Sakho doesn’t look good with the thigh injury,” said a subdued Bilic.
West Ham were well in control for most of the first half, getting the early break in the 16th minute when Sakho was hauled down on the edge of the penalty area. Mauro Zarate strode up and hit a perfect free-kick curling into the top right hand corner.
West Ham continued to dominate, spurning a number of good chances to extend their lead.
The main offender was Manuel Lanzini who had two shots saved at full stretch by West Brom keeper Boaz Myhill.
The home side’s concentration seemed to slip at the start of the second half, as they let the previously anonymous West Brom side come right back into the game.
Four minutes into the half, substitute Ricky Lambert fired in a shot, which Winston Reid diverted past a stranded Adrian in the West Ham goal.
Shortly afterwards Lambert was in the action again, this time forcing Adrian to turn away his well-struck free-kick.
West Ham came back strongly in the last quarter of the game with Sakho getting on the end of a Moses pass but seeing his shot deflected into the side netting by defender Jonas Olsson.
At the death, West Ham had two chances to snatch the spoils, with first Victor Moses hitting his volley just wide of the post from a Lanzini hook back. Then in the 94th minute, Aaron Cresswell saw his well hit free kick pushed out by Myhill. Honours even, which will have pleased the away side more than the Hammers.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis was full of praise for Lambert, declaring: “He is a fantastic professional, he hasn’t played as much as he wants to but his attitude to training and the young people at the club has been fantastic.