West Ham United’s 2023/24 Europa League campaign got off to a winning start courtesy of a 3-1 come-from-behind Group A victory over FK TSC Bačka Topola at London Stadium.
Mohammed Kudus was the hero on his full debut in Claret and Blue, forcing Nemanja Petrović to put through his own net before scoring a superb header of his own. Tomáš Souček added late gloss with a trademark header from another pinpoint James Ward-Prowse corner, as the latter took his assist tally to five in five appearances in all competitions!
Those goals all came after Petar Stanić’s opportunistic strike two minutes after half-time had threatened a huge shock for the Serbian SuperLiga leaders. As it was, the UEFA Europa Conference League champions ultimately extended their unbeaten European run to 16 matches and will travel to SC Freiburg in Germany in a fortnight top of the group.
Playing against opposition from a 22nd different country in European competition – and a 12th in just over two years – the Hammers were unquestionably the more polished of the two teams on show, but it needed a Kudus-inspired comeback to secure an opening-night victory.
Watch the best of the action in the video player above.
