Leeds United 1-2 West Ham United
Premier League
West Ham United recovered from a goal down to defeat Leeds United at Elland Road on Friday night with a performance of real character and quality.
Mateusz Klich netted a twice-taken penalty with the game’s opening action to give the visitors something to think about, but they rose to the challenge with panache and were deserving of their victory by the conclusion of the contest.
Tomáš Souček levelled with a towering header midway though the opening period, before the visitors turned the screw in the final quarter and were eventually rewarded with Angelo Ogbonna’s winner ten minutes from the end.
Hammers boss David Moyes was forced into a change of shape for the first time in ten league games as Arthur Masuaku missed out through injury, and they were required to respond strongly after falling behind early.
With just two minutes on the clock Leeds won possession on halfway through Liam Cooper, and Patrick Bamford immediately spied his chance. The home defender released his striker before the visitors could recover and Bamford was upended by Łukasz Fabiański as he tried to take it around the goalkeeper.
A penalty was the outcome, and West Ham initially thought they had got away with an early let-off when Fabianski dived to his right to save Klich’s effort, only for a VAR check to spot the Hammers No1 was marginally off his line.
Kilch was handed a second chance and this time he made no mistake, finishing low to the goalkeeper’s right.
West Ham were undeterred in their outlook, though, and two close range blocks from Kalvin Phillips and Luke Ayling denied Sébastien Haller inside the area shortly afterwards.
Moyes’ men did not have to wait long for their equaliser, drawing level with 24 minutes on the clock. Jarrod Bowen was the provider, hanging up a corner from the right for Souček to attack, and the Czech midfielder took the invitation with relish, climbing above Stuart Dallas to generate enough power on the header to beat goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
The game retained a terrific tempo as both sides looked to gain the initiative over the rest of the opening period, with full debutant Saïd Benrahma, in a central position, and Bowen carrying a threat out wide for West Ham, while Bamford planted a header straight at Fabianski for the home side.
Haller got himself into a good position again as the Hammers looked to start the second period with a bang, ghosting in front of Ayling to collect Bowen’s left wing cross. Once more, the Leeds man recovered to get a vital block in for his side and divert the ball over the top.
Fabiański had to make saves from Phillips and Kilch as they fired in shots at the other end, but the better chances were falling West Ham’s way, and twice they went close to moving in front around the 75 minute mark.
First, Declan Rice threaded a penetrating through ball into the Leeds area, where Cooper committed himself, allowing Pablo Fornals a shot on goal. He directed it to the far post, and Meslier could only watch as the ball rolled agonisingly wide.
Then it was Meslier’s turn to deny the Hammers, showing a strong left hand to prevent Fábian Balbuena’s thumping header from finding the net.
West Ham would not be rebuffed a third time though. With ten minutes left they won another free-kick down the left hand side. Aaron Cresswell, on his 200th Premier League appearance, delivered this time, and Angelo Ogbonna was there to leap high and plant a header into the top right hand corner.
There was still time for Haller to go close with a brilliant overhead kick and Balbuena to hit the post, as West Ham ensured their forceful finish to the contest would be rewarded with three excellent points.
Leeds United: Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Cooper, Alioski (Costa 46), Phillips, Raphinha, Klich, Harrison (Shackleton 46), Rodrigo, Bamford (Roberts 74)
Subs: Casilla, Poveda-Ocampo, Hernandez, Struijk
Goal: Klich pen 6
Booked: Alioski
West Ham United: Fabiański, Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Souček, Bowen (Johnson 85), Benrahma (Noble 84), Fornals (Snodgrass 90+5), Haller
Subs: Randolph, Fredericks, Dawson, Lanzini
Goal: Souček 25, Ogbonna 80
Booked: Fabianski, Noble
Referee: Michael Oliver