West Ham vs Genk LIVE: Europa League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the live action from the London Stadium
West Ham continued their European cruise with a thumping 3-0 win over Belgian side Genk.
Goals from Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Jarrod Bowen made it three wins out of three for the Hammers in their maiden Europa League group campaign and kept them firmly on course for the knockout stages.
West Ham are already six points clear at the top of Group H and could even secure qualification as group winners in their next match, in Genk in a fortnight, with two games to spare.
Unlike Sunday’s opponents Tottenham, who left their entire starting XI at home for their unsuccessful continental trip to Vitesse Arnhem, Hammers boss David Moyes kept the likes of Bowen, Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Aaron Cresswell in his line-up.
Moyes is clearly eager to secure qualification as quickly as possible, although he took no risks with striker Michail Antonio, having rested him completely ahead of the London derby.
Antonio’s absence as the focal point of West Ham’s attack was felt in a disjointed first half against the Belgian Cup holders.
The hosts were given an early fright when Genk had the ball in the net after Theo Bongonda converted a cross from Junya Ito, but the latter was offside.
Soucek had needed plastic surgery on some horrific facial injuries earlier in the week, having been caught by a stray boot against Everton on Sunday.
But that did not stop the Czech international getting his head to a Rice cross for West Ham’s best chance of the opening stages, with Genk goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt making a diving save.
With the Hammers settling down, Bowen missed a golden opportunity on the half hour when he kicked at thin air in front of goal from Ben Johnson’s inviting low cross, and Dawson headed over from a corner.
Yet West Ham had another lucky escape when goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was beaten to a cross by Genk’s towering striker Paul Onuachu, whose header looped just wide.
Bowen failed to get on the end of another low cross, this time from Cresswell, before West Ham broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time.
Cresswell swung in a corner and centre-half Dawson rose highest to steer the ball home off his shoulder.
West Ham have become set-piece specialists under Moyes and they were at it again at the start of the second half, Dawson’s defensive partner Diop heading home at the near post from Cresswell’s free-kick.
Moments later the hosts stole possession near the halfway line and Bowen galloped forward before firing home a fine solo goal to wrap up the victory.
GOAL! West Ham 2 - 0 Genk (Diop, 57’)⚽️
57 mins: That should be that! Genk give away a silly free kick over on the left wing. Cresswell, who’s had a brilliant night for West Ham, curls the set piece into the middle of the box. Issa Diop jumps in front of Onuachu, wins the header and fires the ball onto the underside of the crossbar where it bounces over the line! West Ham double their lead!
West Ham 1 - 0 Genk
54 mins: West Ham deal with Genk’s corner, fly up the pitch and win one of their own.
Cresswell delivers but the substitute Sadick is there to glance the initial cross over to the far side of the box. Dawson collects the ball and cuts it back to Yarmolenko who checks to the left and fires a shot high and wide.
West Ham 1 - 0 Genk
51 mins: Just like the first half Genk have started on the front foot. They’re retaining possession well and pushing into the final third. A wayward cross goes over the head of Onuachu and is recovered by Ito who then wins a corner by knocking the ball into Cresswell.
West Ham 1 - 0 Genk
48 mins: Genk work the ball into a nice over on the right wing with Ito, Preciado and Thorstvedt combining to slip the ball up the pitch. the visitors get men into the box but don’t send in a cross and West Ham’s defenders come across to force them to retreat.
Second half: West Ham 1 - 0 Genk
Kick off: Genk make an enforced change at half-time and bring on Mujaid Sadick to replace Carlos Cuesta in central defence. West Ham restart the game at the London Stadium.
West Ham 1 - 0 Genk
Craig Dawson’s header separates the two teams after the first half. Can West Ham build on that to earn their third win of the campaign?
West Ham 1 - 0 Genk
As it stands West Ham are going to take a sxi point lead at the top of Group H with three games to play. Genk started the first half as the stronger team but West Ham’s control in the middle of the pitch took the initiative away from the Belgian side and allowed the Hammers to work the ball into the wide areas.
West Ham’s biggest problem is not getting men into the box, they’ve put a lot of balls into the area but have no-one in there to get close to them.
Half-time: West Ham 1 - 0 Genk
45+2 mins: It wasn’t the most electrifying first half we’ve seen in the Europa League this season but West Ham kept on probing Genk’s defences and finally found the breakthrough right at the end of the first half.
The next goal could be vital, if the Hammers score again they’ll cruise to victory but if Genk find an equaliser if could turn into a nervous second half for West Ham.
GOAL! West Ham 1 - 0 Genk (Dawson, 45+1’)⚽️
45+1 mins: Killer blow for Genk on the stroke of half-time. Dawson meets a corner ball from Cresswell and loops a header into the far top corner. Great set piece from the Hammers who have the lead!
West Ham 0 - 0 Genk
45 mins: Chance! Yarmolenko passes the ball to Vlasic who sends it out to Cresswell on the left side once again. His ball into the six-yard box is low and pacey but there’s only Bowen up to reach. He stretches but the ball hits Lucumi and Vandevoordt has to dive low to keep out the deflection.
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