Premier League International Cup
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West Ham United U21s v Olympique Lyonnais 2
Premier League International Cup Group B, Rush Green Stadium, Tuesday 3 December 2024, 7pm GMT


West Ham United U21s return to Premier League International Cup (PLIC) action as they host Olympique Lyonnais 2 at Rush Green Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Mark Robson’s young Hammers will look to break a six-game losing streak, encouraged by a much-improved performance against Manchester United at the weekend, where they were narrowly edged out by a stoppage-time winner.

The team remains unbeaten in the PLIC this season, having earned impressive comeback draws against Portuguese outfit SL Benfica B and Spanish side Athletic Club B. However, with qualification for the knockout stages still at stake, the U21s need a strong result to keep their hopes alive and aim to replicate last season’s semi-final run.

 

Tickets...

Tickets can be purchased at the turnstiles, priced at just £5 for Adults and £1 for Under-18s. Men's team Season Ticket Holders can attend for free by showing their Season Ticket at the entrance.
 

Travel...

The postcode for Rush Green Stadium - West Ham United’s first-team training ground - is RM7 0LU.

To access the ground via public transport, fans can take a train to Romford station, then board a 5, 103 or 175 bus for the 15-minute ride and get off at the Barton Avenue stop. Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.

Fans wishing to attend this Premier League 2 fixture by car should note that there is no parking available for spectators at Rush Green Stadium due to on site construction works.

 

How To Follow…

Due to clashes with Tuesday’s Premier League action, the development side’s fixture against Lyon will not be live streamed.

However, fans can stay up to date with the action through a live blog on the Club’s website and app, while a match report and reaction will follow shortly after the full-time whistle. Highlights will be available the following day.

Lewis Orford v Lyon 2
U21s vice captain Lewis Orford was part of the squad that drew 1-1 against Lyon 2 last season

Premier League International Cup Explained…

First introduced in the 2014/15 season as part of a strategy to provide Premier League Academies with international experience, the PLIC comprises of the 16 top finishers in Premier League 2 and 16 invited international clubs.

Participating clubs are split into four groups of eight, with four PL2 and four invited international clubs occupying each group. Each side play four group-stage games, with every fixture featuring one PL2 team hosting an international opponent at their home ground. The top two from each group progress to the quarter-finals.

 

Opposition...

Domestically, Olympique Lyonnais 2 compete in France’s National 3, the fifth tier of French football. The side is enjoying a strong campaign, sitting just two points off the sole promotion spot after nine matches.

In the PLIC, Lyon currently lead Group B with two wins from three matches. Clean-sheet victories over Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough have placed them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages.

The two teams last met in this competition’s group stage a year ago, with George Earthy’s late equaliser earning West Ham a share of the spoils.

 

Ones To Watch…

In the development’s side’s first two PLIC group fixtures, squad rotation has been a key theme for the young Hammers. Having played at the weekend, and with Tuesday’s game coinciding with the first team’s Premier League fixture, opportunities may arise for other players to make an impact.

For the Hammers, Ryan Battrum has been adjusting well to life as a professional footballer. A versatile player who can play across the back line as well as in midfield, Battrum has made eleven appearances for the U21s since completing his scholarship in the summer. Last time out, the young full-back was his usual consistent self against Manchester United after coming on at half-time to replace Ezra Mayers, who was included in the first-team squad against Arsenal. When called upon this season, the 19-year-old has consistently delivered high-octane performances, covering plenty of ground to contribute as much going forward as he does at the back.

With the U18s kicking off their FA Youth Cup campaign on Friday, second-year scholar Josh Ajala could be rested for Brad Dolaghan. The development side’s summer signing from National League South side Worthing has scored all three of his goals so far for the Hammers in this competition, including a brace off the bench in our last game against Athletic Club B, which salvaged a point.

For Lyon, Alejandro Gomes Rodríguez is one to watch. The 16-year-old forward joined the French side in the summer from Southampton, having already built a reputation as a creative attacking player. Born in Caracas, he moved to England at the age of ten and has represented Venezuela at youth level, as well as his grandparents' Portugal and the Young Lions.

Last season, he made ten appearances for Southampton U18s, scoring twice and registering nine assists, two of which came in a 2-2 draw against West Ham. He also scored on his development side debut against Premier League 2 winners Tottenham. His impressive performances attracted interest from various European clubs, and he ultimate opted for Olympique Lyonnais to continue his development with the reserve team in the French fifth tier.

 

How things stand in PLIC Group B...

PosTeamPWDLGDPts
1Olympique Lyonnais320116
2Blackburn Rovers311104
3Sunderland3111-14
4Borussia Mönchengladbach310203
5Middlesbrough210103
6Athletic Club202002
7West Ham United202002
8Benfica202002

West Ham United U21s 0-2 Olympique Lyonnais 2
Premier League International Cup Group B, Rush Green Stadium, Tuesday 3 December 2024, 7pm GMT

 

Olympique Lyonnais 2 cemented their place at the top of Group B of the Premier League International Cup with a 2-0 victory over West Ham United U21s at Rush Green Stadium.

The young Hammers showed moments of promise but ultimately fell to a Lyon side that capitalised on their chances and defended resolutely. The result guarantees Lyon’s progression to the knockout stages, with nine points from their group games, while West Ham fall to last place on goal difference after suffering a seventh consecutive defeat in all competitions.

The match began brightly for West Ham as they attempted to exploit the flanks early on through Ollie Scarles and Emeka Adiele. Lyon, however, proved to be a threat on the counter-attack. Luizão was called into action in the fifth minute, preventing a dangerous three-on-one situation for the visitors, a sign of things to come.

The Hammers continued to build momentum, with neat bits of interplay, playing their way around the Lyon press. In the 12th minute, Lewis Orford’s precise ball over the top released Josh Ajala, whose low-driven effort narrowly missed the target. Moments later, Lyon came agonisingly close to scoring when Selmar Lega’s curling effort struck the post. Lega would go one better moments later, volleying home a West Ham clearance into the bottom corner to give the visitors an early lead.

West Ham responded with patient build-up play, but Lyon’s disciplined shape restricted the Hammers to half-chances. A golden opportunity arose in the 38th minute when Sean Moore intercepted a misplaced pass from Lyon goalkeeper Yvann Konan. Moore squared it to Ajala, but Konan redeemed himself with a crucial save, while the rebound efforts were blocked. As the half drew to a close, Ajala tested Konan again after capitalising on a poor clearance from Enzo Molebe, but the Lyon goalkeeper remained steadfast to ensure the visitors led at the break.

Lyon wasted no time in doubling their advantage shortly after the restart. A low free-kick from the left found Mathys de Carvalho at the near post. Amidst the ensuing chaos, Mahamadou Diawara pounced on the loose ball to make it 2-0.

(h) Lyon 2 Premier League International Cup Group B

Despite the setback, West Ham continued to push forward. The introduction of substitutes Tyron Akpata, Brad Dolaghan and Favour Fawunmi injected renewed energy into the side, with Fawunmi testing Konan from a counter-attack effort in the 67th minute. The Hammers carved out another promising chance in the 73rd minute when Moore’s cross found an unmarked Kamarai Swyer in the box. However, he was unable to generate enough power to truly trouble Konan.

As the game approached the 90-minute mark, Lyon turned the screw. However, Mason Terry produced a string of exceptional saves to keep West Ham within two. In the 89th minute, he denied de Carvalho’s fierce strike from a corner before clawing away another de Carvalho effort that seemed destined for the top corner. In the closing stages, Lyon managed the game well, frustrating the Hammers and slowing the tempo to secure a well-earned away win.

 

West Ham United U21s: Terry, Tarima, Luizão, Mayers (Akpata 65), Robinson, Orford ©, Scarles, Adiele (Fawumni 65), Moore (Rigge 77), Swyer (Battrum 84), Ajala (Dolaghan 65) 
Subs not used: Hooper (GK), Brown
 

Olympique Lyonnais 2: Konan, Barišić © (Lagha 84), Chaib, Mounsesse, Lomami, de Carvalho, Coponat (Alamine 76), Diawara (Kango 84), Gomes Rodríguez (Perret 87), Molebe, Lega
Subs not used: Llahona (GK), Yahia, Dorival

Goals: Lega 15, Diawara 47

 

Robson: They wanted it more than us

Looking to build on an encouraging performance on Friday where they were only narrowly defeated by a last-minute Manchester United winner, lead coach Mark Robson reflected on the development side’s latest loss.

"We started the first half well, building on the positives from the Manchester United game,” he said. “We dominated possession and moved the ball well, but for all that, we simply didn’t create enough clear-cut chances to trouble them.

"The goal early in the second half was really disappointing. For that moment, we didn’t do our jobs. We allowed their players to get on the wrong side of us and failed to deal with what was a straightforward low ball into the box. Somehow, it’s ended up in the back of the net. There are big question marks about our positioning, both in terms of defending the front space where the ball was played and allowing their players to run off us unchecked. These are things we managed well in the Manchester United game, so it was frustrating to see us fall short tonight."

He added: “They were the better team in the second half. They wanted it more than us, which was disappointing. Once we went 2-0 down, we lacked the character that had allowed us to get back into the first two games of the group."