West Ham 3-1 Chelsea
by Paul Donovan
at London Stadium

WEST HAM came out on top in a hard-fought contest against Chelsea, despite playing with 10 men for the last 20 minutes at the London Stadium.

Hero turned villain, Nayef Aguerd, put the Hammers ahead after just six minutes, heading home a James Ward-Prowse corner. Only, to later be sent off for a second booking.

Chelsea dominated possession for much of the game but failed to capitalise on their chances.

The Blues were level on the half hour, when West Ham failed to clear their lines — allowing Carney Chukwuemeka to fire home through a crowded area.

The impressive Lucas Paqueta then hit a post for the home team.

It looked as though Chelsea would take the lead just before half time, when a clumsy Tomas Soucek challenge on Raheem Sterling in the area, saw referee John Brooks point to the spot.

West Ham keeper, Alphonse Areola, though, was equal to the challenge, saving Enzo Fernandez’s spot kick down to his right.

West Ham were reduced to a counter-attacking force for most of the game, as Chelsea swept forward having 75 per cent of the possession.

It was, though, from a counter-attack after half time that West Ham took the lead. The industrious debutant Ward-Prowse sent Michael Antonio away. The big striker duly fired home, across Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez to register his first goal of the season.

Following the Aguerd sending-off, West Ham regrouped, bringing on Angelo Ogbonna for SaId Benrahma and Pablo Formals for Antonio.

Chelsea piled on the pressure but to no effect.

A skied effort from Mykhailo Mudryk, when presented with a good chance in the area by Sterling, typified the day for Chelsea.

West Ham fans were counting down the six minutes of injury time when an exchange involving Formals, Paqueta and Emerson saw the latter taken down in the area by Moises Caicedo.

Paqueta duly converted the penalty and the London Stadium erupted.

The score flattered West Ham, though Chelsea only had themselves to blame for failing to capitalise on their dominant possession.

West Ham manager David Moyes was pleased with the resilience and character his side showed.

The manager was full of praise for Ward-Prowse.

“His performance was very, very good,” said Moyes, who admitted his team had the luck today.

“Today, we defended the box well. On another day Chelsea would have got on the end of a couple of the [chances].”

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino felt that if his side had converted their possession into goals in the first half they would have won.

“If we had gone in 2-1 up [at half time], it would have been different,” said Pochettino.

“We need to move on and learn the lessons.”