West Ham United U21s 2-0 Sunderland U21s
Premier League 2, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 18 August 2023, 7pm BST

West Ham United U21s cruised to a 2-0 win over Sunderland as Premier League 2 returned to Rush Green training ground on Friday evening.

An emphatic, dominant, performance saw the Irons quickly out of the traps, determined to put last week’s defeat behind them. A feat they achieved clinically within 17 minutes.

A bright start saw two quick goals, with Callum Marshall first turning home a Dan Chesters’ cross from inside the area, for his and his side's first goal of the PL2 season.

Luizão then tapped in from close range after a well-worked corner fell at the Brazil defender’s feet to double his side’s lead from inside the six-yard box.

From then on the chances kept coming the way of those in Claret and Blue – and, in truth, most will leave disappointed the Hammers did not grab a third or even a fourth.

In the first half, Divin Mubama had the ball in the net for a third when he converted George Earthy’s cross, although he was flagged offside.

The second half was a similar feat too. Hammers flooded forwards in search of a third and had plenty of chances to net one. Earthy blazed over after Chesters' neat run and cross. Conor Coventry and Mubama both saw free kicks sail over the bar. Marshall saw his dipping effort fade wide of the post.

Substitutes too went close. Gideon Kodua was quickly into the action and sent racing down the line onto Luizão’s whipped pass, where Mubama then struck over, and then later saw his effort deflect wide.

The Hammers No9 continued to search for a goal and would have turned Scarles’ cross into the net but for a stunning stop from Sunderland stopper Matthew Young.

Sunderland would have pulled a way back into the fixture had Keenan Appiah-Forson not found a crucial late tackle, but the Hammers deserved the three points – and arguably, with 24 goal attempts to their name, another goal or two for their performance in east London.

West Ham United U21s: Knightbridge, Chesters (Robinson 83), Laing, Casey, Luizao, Scarles, Coventry, Kelly (Orford 78), Marshall (Kodua 72), Mubama, Earthy (Appiah-Forson 72)
Subs not used: Terry (GK)

Goals: Marshall 8 Luizão 17
Booked: Earthy

Marshall delighted to open his account for 2023/24

It didn’t take long for Callum Marshall to find himself back amongst the goals in east London.

Eight minutes into the fixture and the Northern Irish striker poked home the opener, neatly converting Dan Chester’s cross from close range.

It was an instinctive finish and one that set a winning performance in motion at Rush Green training ground.

“I thought we played really well and controlled the game,” Marshall stated. “Our 'keeper was shouting to kill the game off at 2-0...maybe he got a bit carried away...but it was a brilliant start. It set the tone for the game, and it should have been a lot more than 2-0 in the end.

“We got the three points and the clean sheet as well. I was happy as it has felt like a while since I scored. I ran the wrong way when I was celebrating away from the camera but it’s all good!

“I thought we played really well tonight and linked the ball really nicely. I think we played our game well…but maybe our decision-making could have been a bit better in the final third.”

For Marshall, it was pleasing that the Hammers got their PL2 campaign up and running following a defeat last time out.

The No7 led from the front, pressing tirelessly. The result deserved too for the work rate of each and every Hammer on the pitch.

Marshall added: “We knew we needed the result after last week. We sorted of got the run-around [at Arsenal] and got shown the levels we needed to get to. I think we bounced back and know we can move on to Tuesday against Valencia [with confidence].”

Potts pleased to get the first three points on the board

Three points for the U21s meant it was all smiles as PL2 returned to east London on Friday evening.

Plenty of chances to put the game beyond doubt perhaps sees the final scoreline not quite a fair reflection of the Hammers’ dominance against Sunderland.

For Steve Potts, who was stepping into the role of lead coach following Mark Robson’s promotion to the first-team coaching staff, it was a pleasing performance all around.

“We played some really good stuff,” explained Potts, who was assisted by Gerard Prenderville in the dugout.

“We had some good positions and at the times the final finish – the ball maybe as well – wasn’t there. But we kept a clean sheet at the other end, which was pleasing."

What stood out in east London was how attacking the Hammers’ wing-backs were. Pushing high throughout, at times it looked as if Potts had deployed a front-five such was the energy Dan Chesters and Ollie Scarles showed to join forwards Callum Marshall, Divin Mubama, and George Earthy.

The opening goal came from Chesters' run too. The corner won brought the second by a charge forward from Scarles as well. There is no doubting the plan was executed perfectly, then.

Potts added: “Ollie and Dan are real attacking players. They use the width really well and got in behind countless times. We asked them before the game – because we didn’t get behind Arsenal defence’s – to break the backline and they did that countless times.

“Dan is an attacking player. He does his defensive duties but really you want him going forward as much as you can…and he produced a great ball and it’s a [good] finish from Cal too [for the opening goal].”

Up Next

West Ham United U21s will next be in action in the Premier League International Cup, with our first group-stage fixture against Valencia set for Tuesday 22 August. 

The fixture will be played at Chigwell Construction Stadium, with kick-off set for 7pm.