Lanzini West Ham United’s comeback King

Manuel Lanzini’s stunning last-minute goal completed a brilliant West Ham comeback from three goals down against Spurs.

WEST HAM TEAM NEWS

David Moyes on his first game back after his COVID-19 quarantine named an unchanged side to take on Tottenham. The West Ham side did welcome back Issa Diop back into the matchday squad. Sebastien Haller was a notable absentee as the club’s record signing did not make the bench.

The other notable missing player was Craig Dawson. The defender has only just joined the club, but as the fourth choice, there was no space for him in the squad. The other new signing Said Benrahma was unable to play dud to the lateness of his signing.

MATCH REPORT – First-Half

Tottenham got off to the perfect start. Only 45 seconds in the Spurs found themselves in the lead. A long pass from Harry Kane found Son Heung-min who cut past Fabian Balbuena and fired into the bottom right-hand corner.

West Ham reacted well after going behind and started to put Spurs under pressure. Aaron Cresswell went close from a long-range free-kick. Michail Antonio missed an opportunity from three-yards from a corner.

The Hammers would rue this missed chances as Kane doubled the lead before the tenth minute. A quick counter-attack was cleared at first, but the ball came to the Englishman who fired a shot between the defence leaving Lukasz Fabianski rooted as the ball flew in.

Before the 16th minute, it was 3-0. Summer signing Sergio Reguilón crossed in a perfect ball for Kane. The striker met the ball perfectly and powered his header into the goal. Kane had been involved in all three goals so far, scoring two and assisting one.

Trying to drag themselves back into the game West Ham did continue to try and attack Tottenham. Pablo Fornals had a powerful volley caught by Hugo Lloris after being played through by an Antonio flick-on.

Son almost made it four in the 34th minute. Serge Aurier played a dangerous low cross across the Hammers six-yard-box. Fabianski did well to get in the way and hold on to the ball. Vladimir Coufal almost pulled one back for the Hammers, but Kane was back and put in a brave block to keep Tottenham’s clean sheet intact for the first half.

Second-Half

The Hammers started the second half the better side and missed a glorious chance to grab a goal back. Antonio did well on the left-wing and cut inside to shot on his right foot. The shot took a deflection and flew into the path of Fornals. The Spaniard with the goal at his mercy was not able to keep his header down, and it went over from two yards out.

With the game becoming a midfield battle chances on goal started to dry up until the hour mark. Spurs broker forward and Kane fired an effort goalwards. Fabianksi saved the shot well to keep the deficit to three.

In the 71st minute, the return of Gareth Bale was complete as he was brought on for Steven Bergwijn. The returning spurs legend was brought on for his first Premier League appearance since 2013. The 31-year-olds first contribution was a shot on goal. However, it was a tame free-kick from 35-yards out.

David Moyes made his first changes of the match in the 76th minute. Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko replaced the ineffective Antonio and Fornals.

Kane almost had his hattrick on the 78th minute. Son ran at the defence and passed across the top of the box to Kane. The Englishman’s first-time effort smashed against the post as Fabianski was helpless.

Only a couple of minutes later West Ham got themselves a lifeline. Cresswell’s deep freekick found the head of Balbuena. The Paraguayan leapt the highest and placed his header into the bottom corner of the Spurs goal.

A comeback started to look on as the Hammers had a spring in their step. In the 85th minute, Yarmolenko and Coufal linked up well on the right-wing. The Czech defender charged into the box and fired his cross in. The ball found its way into the goal via the head of Davinson Sánchez. GAME ON!

Spurs could have put the game to bed in the 91st minute. A quick break saw Bale pick up the ball on the edge of the Hammers box. The former Madrid man’s quick feet took him through on goal, but he could only fire wide of the goal.

The moment would come back to haunt spurs. The Hammers won a free kick on the left-wing. Cresswell’s cross was cleared. The ball looked to drop to Snodgrass but he couldn’t get a shot off. The spurs defence got in the way.

The ball trickled to Lanzini, who has not scored for the Hammers in two years, with almost the last kick of the game, unleashed an unbelievable shot from 35-yards. The ball moved and swung into the top right-hand corner via the crossbar, bringing the Hammers level right on the full-time whistle.

HERE LANINI’S DRAMATIC EQUALISER

A moment fans could only wish they had been in the stadium for. Regardless the goal will go down in Hammers folklore.

The point moves West Ham up to 8th in the Premier League ahead of two tricky fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City.