FK TSC Bačka Topola v West Ham United
UEFA Europa League Group A, TSC Arena, Thursday 30 November 2023, 6.45pm CET (5.45pm GMT)
West Ham United’s UEFA Europa League campaign continues with a trip to Serbia to face FK TSC Bačka Topola.
The Irons sit top of Group A after four games played, on nine points, and are above German side SC Freiburg having beaten the Bundesliga side 2-1 in October.
TSC Bačka Topola, meanwhile, are bottom of Group A on one point, and will need a win on Thursday to keep their hopes of playing European football in the second half of the season alive.
Tickets…
West Ham United supporters should note that the Club's allocation of 320 tickets for this fixture sold out to Bondholders, and Away Scheme Members and Season Ticket Holders with 50+ Loyalty Points.
Travel….
The simplest route is to fly from London to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, then hire a car and drive the 100 miles north up the A1 motorway to Bačka Topola.
There are no direct public transport links between the two, but you could take the train (two services per hour) from Belgrade to the city of Novi Sad, about halfway to Bačka Topola, before continuing your journey from there by road. Direct bus services run from Belgrade to Bačka Topola, via Novi Sad, with a journey time of three hours.
Alternatively, you could take a taxi from Belgrade, but that will likely cost you over £100 each way.
Coach Travel in Serbia…
Supporters will have the option of return coach travel from Belgrade (from a location to advised) at a cost of £33 return. Coach travel will take approximately two-and-a-half hours from the pick-up point to the stadium.
We will be taking a minimum of one coach. Further coaches will be sold in accordance with supporter demand and are not guaranteed.
How To Follow…
Thursday's tie will be broadcast live in the UK by TNT Sports. More information on how to watch can be found by clicking here.
You can also follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app and across our social channels.
BW Scores
The Hammers’ front of shirt branding will look a little different for our UEFA Europa League matchday five clash against FK TSC Bačka Topola in Serbia on Thursday night.
A BW Scores logo will replace the normal Betway logo for this fixture.
BW Scores is a free-to-play global live scores website and app which is the go-to destination for sports related content, including real-time live scores, team line ups, league tables, match statistics, general match information and commentary.
Team News…
West Ham United will still be without Michail Antonio, who David Moyes confirmed would be out for around two to three weeks prior to Saturday’s Premier League win at Burnley.
Jarrod Bowen was also absent from the matchday squad at Turf Moor, and Moyes will be hoping the England international is fit enough to make the trip to Serbia.
TSC Bačka Topola will be hoping to have a near fully-fit squad available for Thursday’s home European fixture.
Opposition…
In FK TSC, West Ham United are visiting the second-oldest football club in the Serbian SuperLiga on Thursday evening.
Formed in 1913 as Topolyai Sport Club and owned by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the side now known as FK TSC has gone through numerous iterations and name changes as history took shape.
After the First World War, the team became Jugoslovenski Atletski Klub in 1930 to reflect its standing in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The side briefly became Topolyai SE between 1942-1945 before being renamed FK Egység following the Second World War.
While going through a series of name changes, the club played in the Yugoslavian and then Serbian Leagues following independence and was finally promoted to the SuperLiga for the first time in 2017.
Recent seasons has seen a level of success that FK TSC fans have previously not been familiar with. Promotion to the Serbian First League – the second division in Serbian football – was achieved in 2017, before a first-ever promotion to the SuperLiga in 2019.
The Serbian side find themselves in the Europa League group stages for the first time in their history, after qualifying for the Champions League third qualifying round by finishing second in the SuperLiga last season. Defeat to Braga in those games put FK TSC within the Europa League groups.
Under the guidance of head coach Žarko Lazetić, fans will be hoping for continued success for FK TSC.
Previous Meetings…
It may not be a total surprise to learn our previous Group A match against FK TSC Bačka Topola was the first time the Hammers have met the side in any competition.
In what was the first time the Irons had faced a side from Serbia too, West Ham had to come from behind to secure a 3-1 win over their opponents in their UEFA Europa League Group A opener back in September.
The Irons dominated possession throughout but still had to battle back after Petar Stanić ran through to give the Serbian visitors a 47th minute lead.
Mohammed Kudus provided the inspiration for the comeback, forcing an own goal from Nemanja Petrović on 66 minutes, then converting James Ward-Prowse's corner four minutes later.
Tomáš Souček's header from another Ward-Prowse corner completed was was ultimately a comfortable victory in east London.
There are few other links between the Hammers and Serbia, although young striker Luka Belic did join West Ham from Serbian side OFK Beograd in 2015. He now plays for Greek side AO Poros.
Match Officials…
Referee: Allard Lindhout (NED)
Assistant Referees: Rogier Honig (NED) & Patrick Inia (NED)
Fourth Official: Jannick Van Der Laan (NED)
VAR: Clay Ruperti (NED)
Assistant VAR: Edwin Van De Graaf (NED)
Dutch official Allard Lindhout will be the man in the middle for West Ham United’s trip to face FK TSC in the UEFA Europa League group stages.
Lindhout is a 36-year-old referee who regularly officiates in the Eredivisie, having made his first outing as an official in the Dutch top division in 2015.
One of the Netherlands’ most promising officials, Lindhout took charge of the Johan Cruyff Shield earlier this season, in which PSV Eindhoven secured a 1-0 win over Feyenoord, and has previously refereed two play-off matches to determine promotion or relegation to the Eredivisie, most recently Almere City's 2-1 away win over FC Emmen in the second leg of their final last season.
