West Ham rediscovered their goal-scoring touch in a 3-0 win over Denmark’s Viborg and booked another European tour.
After failing to score or score in three Premier League games, the Hammers won two legs of the qualifying play-offs 6-1 on aggregate to advance to the group stage of the European Conference League.
Acquired from Sassuolo for £30m, Italian striker Gianluca Schamacca opened the scoring midway through the first half with his second goal in two European appearances.
Saeed Benrama and Thomas Suchek also found the net after the break to cap off an extremely comfortable evening in front of 1,000 rowdy Danish travel fans.
Leading 3-1 in the first leg last season, the Europa League semi-finalists knew that an early goal would put their minds at rest. Sousek narrowly headed off a corner kick, but Skamakka’s first low shot was saved.
The opening goal arrived in the 22nd minute when full-back Ben Jonson fed in to Suchek on the right and the Czech midfielder’s cross was deftly swept home by Skamakka at the near post.
Bibourg almost equalized when former Leeds striker Jay Roy Grotto outplayed Manuel Lanzini and shot in close range.
Jakob Bonde, Viborg’s goalscorer in East London, planted a straight freeheader to Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola.
More European nights under the lights😍 pic.twitter.com/OuDmu53RMO
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 25, 2022
And West Ham were living a perilous life before half-time when Areola had to make a double save to hold off Grotto and Justin Ronwake.
However, in the 6th minute of the second half, Maxwell Cornette’s through ball was met by Ben Rama to score and double the lead.
After Thilo Kehrer’s header was blocked, it was 3:00, just after the hour mark, when Soucek packed the rebound home.
Cornette should have opened his account for West Ham shortly after losing the ball to Ben Rama, but his acquisition from Burnley this summer somehow put the ball past the open goal.
That said, it’s a satisfying night’s work for the David Moyes-led team and its fans to find out where their second consecutive European adventure will take them in Friday’s draw. would be
