Brentford 1-1 West Ham United
Premier League, Gtech Community Stadium, Saturday 28 September 2024, 3pm BST
West Ham United came from behind to claim a Premier League point on the road for the second successive away game, as Tomáš Souček’s equaliser secured a 1-1 draw at Brentford.
The Czech scrambled the ball in from close range nine minutes into the second half to cancel out Bryan Mbeumo’s first-minute opener for the Bees.
With West Ham having conceded inside four minutes twice in their opening five Premier League matches, and Brentford having scored in the opening minute in each of their previous two, the fact the Bees stung the Hammers so early should have come as no surprise to anyone.
Indeed, the Irons had not been in the hosts’ half of the pitch before falling behind. Three crosses were only cleared as far as Brentford players, with the third header out by Jean-Clair Todibo being nodded square by Fábio Carvalho and expertly hooked into the top right-hand corner by Mbeumo.
Having fallen behind in four of their five Premier League games, West Ham were in familiar territory and immediately sought an equaliser, with Mohammed Kudus curling one shot over and seeing a volley blocked, Guido Rodríguez volleying too high and Jarrod Bowen shooting wide.
As the midway point of the first half passed, Souček released Kudus, who stung Mark Flekken’s palms, Aaron Wan-Bissaka thumped a shot into the back of Kevin Schade from a Bowen corner, and Michail Antonio dragged wide from 15 yards.
After scoring, Brentford rarely threatened until the 35th minute, when Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross picked out Mbeumo, whose diving header looped over. Six minutes later, Sepp van den Berg slashed a long-range effort high and wide.
West Ham had the final chance of a largely forgettable first half when Todibo volleyed off-target, and that was that.
Head Coach Julen Lopetegui made two substitutions at the break, bringing on Dinos Mavropanos and Carlos Soler for Emerson, who had been booked for a challenge on Schade early on, and Kudus.
Paquetá sent another volley over, Wan-Bissaka had a shot blocked and Mavropanos headed Bowen’s corner wide and thumped a first-time shot into the stand as the Hammers made a strong start to the second half.
Finally, with their 16th goal attempt, the Irons levelled. Paquetá won the ball back wide on the left and found Bowen, who played a give-and-go with Souček and then passed to Antonio. The No9's shot fell to Souček, whose left-foot effort found the net via the inside of the post.
Unsurprisingly, conceding spurred the Bees into action and, after West Ham failed to clear a corner, substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk tested Areola with a curling effort.
The home side then put the visitors under sustained pressure, which prompted Lopetegui to make two more changes, bringing on Danny Ings and Crysencio Summerville for Antonio and Paquetá.
Both made a positive difference, with Summerville seeing a shot deflected wide with ten minutes to play. Keane Lewis-Potter then struck straight at Areola as the game entered its final stages with both teams sensing a chance to snatch all three points.
As it was, after Soler’s hooked effort was tipped away by Flekken, referee Simon Hooper blew for full-time and both had instead to settle for one.
Brentford: Flekken, Ajer, van den Berg, Pinnock, Collins, Lewis-Potter, Janelt ©, Damsgaard, Fábio Carvalho (Konak 85), Mbeumo, Schade (Yarmoliuk 60)
Subs not used: Vladimarsson (GK), Trevitt, Roerslev, Mee, Meghmoa, Ji-Soo, Yogane
Goal: Mbeumo 1
Booked: Yarmoliuk, Lewis-Potter
West Ham United: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson (Mavropanos HT), Rodríguez, Souček, Paquetá (Summerville 76), Bowen © (Irving 90+2), Kudus (Soler HT), Antonio (Ings 75)
Subs not used: Fabiański (GK), Coufal, Cresswell, Luis Guilherme
Goal: Souček 54
Booked: Emerson, Kilman
Referee: Simon Hooper
Attendance: 17,050
