October 26, (THEWILL) – West Ham United’s 18-match unbeaten run in UEFA competitions came to an end on Thursday, as they fell to a 2-1 defeat away to Olympiacos in their UEFA Europa League Group A clash. Playing in front of a hostile crowd in Athens, manager David Moyes made seven changes to his starting XI but the gamble backfired as the Hammers produced a lacklustre first-half display.
The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute through a long-range toe poke from captain Kostas Fortounis. On the stroke of half-time, West Ham defender, Angelo Ogbonna, unfortunately turned the ball into his own net to double Olympiacos’ advantage.
Trailing 2-0 at the break, West Ham showed more attacking intent after the interval but initially struggled to test the Olympiacos defence. Moyes made a triple substitution just before the hour mark and one of the subs, Lucas Paqueta, pulled a goal back with a fine volley with three minutes remaining. However, the late rally proved too little too late as West Ham succumbed to a first European defeat.
The result leaves the Hammers level on points with Freiburg at the top of Group A, with Olympiacos two points behind. While West Ham remain well-placed to progress, the defeat means they still have work to do to secure qualification for the knockout stages. The return fixture at the London Stadium in two weeks’ time now takes on added significance.
Overall, it was a disappointing night for Moyes and his much-changed side. The manager’s selection gamble backfired and West Ham paid the price for a sloppy first-half performance in the intimidating atmosphere of the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
