West Ham smiles again, celebrates again and lifts a title again, a European one; a Conference League that was arranged epically this Wednesday, with a goal by Bowen on the horn after a magical pass from Paquetá that killed a ‘Fiore’ (1-2) who lost their second final of the year.
The 1980 FA Cup won against Arsenal was the last trophy in the showcases of the ‘Hammers’, who won their second European title after the 1965 Cup Winners’ Cup at the Eden Arena. Paquetá and Bowen dressed as heroes in a magical night and historic for the Londoners, who will also compete in the Europa League next season. All after a game suffered against a Fiorentina who wanted to keep up with the game but failed to undo the great English defensive framework.
The first seconds of the game were a clear definition of what each team was looking for. The ‘Fiore’, without speculating, as they already did against Inter in the Coppa Italia final, went directly in search of the door on the first play. This time he did not have the same success as that time and he gave wings to West Ham to do what he does best: the counterattack. Without thinking about it, the London team spread out and tried to connect with Michail Atonio, their most powerful weapon, to create danger.
A first minute of presentation with two aggressive attempts that quickly turned into the usual respect of the finals. The ‘Fiore’ sought control with possession and West Ham, always well placed, led in midfield by Declan Rice who could say goodbye to the ‘Hammers’ and by Zouma on the defensive line, chose the moments well to spread out and combine the quality of Paquetá and the power of Antonio.
In fact, it was Rice himself who had the first chance of the game, one of the few shots that, although it went wide, disturbed Terraciano’s door, all in a throw-in play, another of the dangers of this West Ham .
The game then transitioned into the attempts of the Florence team to dismantle the defensive framework of Moyes’ men, who managed to prevent the ‘Fiore’ from finding a goal in the entire first act.
Amrabat, embedded between the center-backs to give Dodo and Biraghi freedom, was the most participatory in the central lane, always seeking to associate himself with the quality of Nico González who, despite not being as participatory as in other games, well marked, was able to open up hole to take out a lateral center that led to a shot from Koumaé on the stick that Jovic picked up to finish the play with a goal that was ultimately annulled for offside.
The goal seemed to give some confidence to the Italians and put fear in the body of the English. A mirage. And it is that in minute 58, the ‘Hammers’ were much smarter and extracted oil from another throw-in that caught Biraghi off guard. The captain ‘viola’, in an attempt to gain the position he had lost, hit the ball with his hand. The VAR notified the referee, who ended up whistling the penalty. Benrahma did not miss from eleven meters in the 62nd minute. He executed with power and deceiving Terracciano to unleash the madness in the British fans.
But the roles were exchanged again. Fiorentina got loose and took only four minutes to react. Lake pass from Amrabat, Nico González won the jump to Emerson and Bonaventura picked up the ball to adjust it, after a complicated shot that found an unimaginable cais path between the numerous legs that populated the area, to the right post of Areola,
The goal left West Ham touched and gave life to the ‘Fiore’. A few minutes later, Mandragora had a very clear opportunity that he missed with a shot that was too wide and did not find a goal. A missed opportunity that ended up taking its toll.
Because in minute 90, when both teams seemed to accept extra time, Paquetá appeared, discreet during the game, to show off his magic at the Eden Arena. At the perfect moment, at the most painful, at the most epic. With a subtle pass, he left Bowen alone, who scored the goal of all the ‘Hammers’ in one night for the history of the London club.
1 – Fiorentina: Terracciano; Dodò, Milenkovic, Ranieri (Igor, m.84), Biraghi; Amrabat, Mandragora; Nico González, Bonaventura, Kouamé (Saponara, d.61); Jovic (Cabral, m.46).
2 – West Ham: Areola; Coufal, Aguerd, Zouma (Kherer, m.61), Emerson; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma (Fornals, m.75); and Anthony (Ogbonna, m.94).
Goals: 0-1, m.62: Benrahma; 1-1, m.66: Bonaventure; 1-2, m.90: Bowen
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (ESP) Showed yellow cards to Nico Gonzalez (m.48), Mandragora (m.67), Duncan (m.67), Milenkovic (m.75), Amrabat (m.86), Amrabat (m.85) by Fiorentina; and Benrahma (m.31), Aguerd (m.53) and Bowen (m.97) for West Ham.
Incidents: match corresponding to the final of the second edition of the Conference League, played at the Eden Arena stadium in Prague, before about 20,000 spectators.
