West Ham United 2-3 Nani FC
TST Round of 32, WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina, USA, Friday 6 June 2025, 8.30pm EST (1.30am Saturday BST)
West Ham United saw their dreams of winning The Soccer Tournament (TST) crushed in dramatic fashion by Nani FC in the knockout round of 32 on Friday evening.
The Hammers faced up against the side led by the former Manchester United and Portugal star Luis Nani, who agonisingly fired home the golden goal winner, securing a 3-2 victory with the teams down to 2v2 in sudden-death Target Time.
After going 2-0 down in normal time, Coach Dillon Vedral’s side fought back brilliantly to grab a late goal through Lucas Sousa, and then equalise in Target Time through Justin Stinson with the teams down to 3v3.
The Hammers then had a glorious chance to grab the win when Chris Anderaos regained possession deep in his own half, but couldn’t find the decisive attacking play and, just moments later with another player on each team withdrawn, Champions League and Premier League winner Nani produced a moment of magic to fire a left-footed winner past goalkeeper Bryan Orozco.
Spirits in the camp had been high after the team secured their place in the knockout stages by finishing as one of the eight best third-placed teams and prepared to face last year’s TST runners-up Nani FC, who had topped Group C.
Hammers legend Anton Ferdinand and Hollywood actor Hero Fiennes-Tiffin were both named in the line-up to enjoy their first taste of TST 2025 action, while former striker Mauro Zarate also started, and the team were also buoyed by the return of energetic midfielder Anderaos, who had missed the final group game against TenFifteen FC with a knee injury.
However, things got off to the worst possible start when Nani FC found the net with their first real attack of the game, Ricardinho firing home a cut-back from just inside the penalty area. West Ham managed to weather the early storm but struggled to find any real foothold, and were indebted to goalkeeper Claysson De Lima, who pulled off a remarkable save from point-blank range right on the stroke of half-time.
Five minutes into the second half, the Hammers produced their first real chance of the match, when Erik Pereira saw a stinging drive tipped round the post, but just moments later Nani FC doubled their lead with a stunning long-range strike from Bruno Coelho into the top corner.
As they have done throughout the tournament, West Ham showed great fighting spirit and a never-say-die attitude to stay in the game, and gave themselves a lifeline when Nilton De Andrade won the ball back deep in Nani FC’s half and fed Sousa, who clipped in a beautiful finish to half the deficit.
Stinson then had a decent shout for a penalty waved away and Rian Marques saw a header tipped onto the bar, as Hammers searched in vain for an equaliser before the end of normal time.
As the match moved into Target Time, substitute keeper Orozco pulled off two magnificent saves to prevent Nani winning the tie, and the tide looked to have turned when, with four players withdrawn from each side, the Hammers worked a clever play to present Stinson with a simple finish, his second goal of the tournament.
Despite Nani FC then taking possession from the restart, it was West Ham who looked more energetic and likely to grab the winner, especially when Anderaos intercepted a loose pass in his own half and had a glorious opportunity to turn the tables and set up another attack.
However, an attempted pass to Roberto Palmer drifted out of play, giving the ball back to Nani FC, who then brought on the man himself with the teams down to the minimum 2v2 showdown, and moments later a quick shimmy and left-foot strike left the Hammers heartbroken.
The result ends West Ham’s chances of taking home the $1million winner-takes-all prize, but the overall experience has again been a successful one, with a huge turn-out of Hammers fans following the team in North Carolina and many more new friends and supporters gained throughout the tour.
Starting VII: De Lima, Ferdinand, Palmer ©, Fiennes-Tiffin, De Andrade, Stinson, Zarate
Subs: Orozco (GK), Collins, Periera, Ramone, Sousa, De Oliveira, Thetsane, Vega, Marques, Anderaos, Mo Ali, Vaz Tê, Rahul KP
Ferdinand: It wasn't our day
Player-coach Anton Ferdinand praised the character shown by West Ham United’s TST squad following the Hammers’ heartbreaking exit to Nani FC in Cary, North Carolina.
The Irons came from behind to force their round of 32 tie into a sudden-death showdown in Target Time, only for the former Portugal star himself to secure a 3-2 win for his side.
Despite the defeat, legend Ferdinand was delighted with the way West Ham’s multinational group pulled together at the tournament.
“It's a hard one to take,” he admitted. “We went down, started losing early on in the game, but managed to get it back. But when it goes into the after time, it's anyone's game.
“When it gets down to that, the 2v2s and stuff, whoever's got the ball is nailed on to go and win the game, especially when they've only got one goal to score. And essentially that's what happened.
“But the lads can be proud of themselves. You've had lads come from all different clubs, all different countries. At the start of the tournament, I said to them about running for the badge and running for the shirt, even though they're not contracted to the Club, still wear it with pride, and they've done that, and that's all you can ask.
“In tournament football, you need a little bit of luck on your side, and sometimes it's your day and sometimes it isn't, and it wasn't our day.”