West Ham United 2-0 Leicester City
Premier League, London Stadium, Thursday 27 February 2025, 8pm GMT
Birthday boy Tomáš Souček continued his happy knack of scoring in West Ham United wins by netting in Thursday’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Leicester City.
Souček scored his 38th goal for the Club to put the Irons ahead on 21 minutes at London Stadium. Of those 38, an incredible 28 have now come in wins, eight in draws and just two in defeats.
It was also the 16th time the Czech Republic international had scored a match-winner since he arrived in east London a little over five years ago. As he turns 30, Souček remains a hugely important player for the Hammers.
Speaking of important players, it was captain Jarrod Bowen who forced his team’s second goal two minutes before half-time, as his hard work forced Jannik Vestergaard to put through his own net.
Graham Potter’s side continued to dominate proceedings against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Foxes and, when referee Anthony Taylor blew for full-time, were able to celebrate back-to-back wins and clean sheets for the first time this season.
Returning to the start, Leicester’s best moment came within two minutes when Wilfred Ndidi’s low shot was held securely by another birthday boy, goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
From then on, it was almost all West Ham, who completed far more passes in the opening 45 minutes (324) than they did in the entirety of a very differently constructed 1-0 win at Arsenal on Saturday (241). Potter’s men controlled the game, but it took 20 minutes to break down Leicester’s massed defence.
There was a little fortune about the hosts’ opener, too. Aaron Cresswell’s bouncing long-range shot was met by Mohammed Kudus, whose close-range effort was parried by Mads Hermansen into the path of Souček, who scored.
The subdued initial celebration suggested most fans and even the players believed someone was offside, but the flag stayed down, VAR confirmed the decision and Taylor gave the goal to a much louder roar.
After Bowen had dragged a low shot wide, there was also a little fortune about West Ham’s second, albeit the skipper made his own luck, reacting quicker than opposite number Jamie Vardy to get to James Ward-Prowse’s near-post corner, spinning and sending in a cross-shot that deflected off giant Dane Vestergaard and past his unfortunate compatriot Hermansen.
To credit Leicester, they did improve thereafter, with James Justin thumping a free-kick into the wall, substitute Stephy Mavididi seeing a shot blocked by Edson Álvarez and Vestergaard heading into Areola’s gloves.
With his team’s grip loosening, Potter freshened things up by sending on Emerson, Dinos Mavropanos and Carlos Soler, then further by introducing Evan Ferguson.
The Irish younger had a chance to open his account, too, but after latching onto Bowen’s pass his shot was blocked by a sliding Vestergaard.
The game petered out, with Potter, his players and the Claret and Blue Army able to celebrate three more points, another clean sheet and rising above Everton in the Premier League table at Taylor's final whistle.
We will go for three-in-a-row when Newcastle United visit London Stadium on Monday 10 March.
West Ham United: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo (Mavropanos 66), Kilman, Cresswell, Scarles (Emerson 66), Álvarez (Soler 66), Souček (Irving 90), Ward-Prowse, Bowen ©, Kudus (Ferguson 73)
Subs not used: Fabiański (GK), Rodríguez, Luis Guilherme, Ings
Goals: Souček 21, Vestergaard 43 (og)
Leicester City: Hermansen, Justin, Faes, Vestergaard (Daka 87), Kristiansen (Thomas 87), Ndidi, Soumaré (Winks 61), El Khannouss, Buonanotte, De Cordova-Reid (Mavididi 61), Vardy ©
Subs not used: Stolarczyk (GK), Coady, Okoli, Skipp, Ayew
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 62,455
