1999 - FC Metz 1 West Ham United 3

FC Metz 1            West Ham United 3 (West Ham United win 3-2 on aggregate)
Jestrovic              Sinclair, Lampard, Wanchope

UEFA Intertoto Cup final second leg, Stade Saint-Symphorien, 24 August 1999

FC Metz: Letizi, Pierre (Asuar 46), Marchal, Kastench, Schemmel, Boffin, Meyrieu, Toyes, Gailliot (Jäger 76), Saha, Gousse (Jestrovic 56)
Subs not used: Biancarelli (GK), Rizzetto, Van Handenhoven, Régis

West Ham United: Hislop, Ferdinand, Lomas, Potts, Sinclair, Lampard, Foe, Keller, Moncur, Di Canio (J.Cole 78), Wanchope
Subs not used: Forrest (GK), Angus, Carrick, Abou, Kitson, I.Wright

 

West Ham United's season began unusually early in the summer of 1999 with their first competitive fixture coming on 17 July in the Intertoto Cup against Finland’s FC Jokerit.

Despite their fifth-place finish, West Ham United were not awarded a place the UEFA Cup and had to qualify via the early competition. Harry Redknapp's side progressed easily to the final with aggregate victories over Jokerit and Holland's Heerenveen, but faced a tough test against FC Metz in the final.

The French side came to the Boleyn Ground for the first leg and returned very happy after a 1-0 victory. Frank Lampard spurned the chance to equalise from the penalty spot, and West Ham had a quite a job to do if they were to qualify.

The one thing a travelling West Ham side could count on, however, was terrific support, and the Boleyn Ground faithful had made the trip across the Channel in great numbers and were in full force that night.

A left-footed drive from Trevor Sinclair opened the scoring after 25 minutes and wiped out the away goal. The Hammers were then in dreamland two minutes before the break when Lampard fired home and gave West Ham the lead on aggregate.

Metz fought back hard and ensured a nervy finale with a goal 20 minutes from time through future Manchester United striker Louis Saha, but Paulo Wanchope rounded the goalkeeper, coolly slotted the ball away with 12 minutes remaining to put the Hammers into the hat for the UEFA Cup first round draw.