Brentford 2-0 West Ham United
Premier League, Gtech Community Stadium, Sunday 14 May 2023, 2pm BST
West Ham United fell to a 2-0 Premier League defeat by Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Bees struck twice in the first half with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa both on the scoresheet, the first with a low shot and the second with a close-range header.
Danny Ings had a second-half effort ruled out due to a handball infringement by Divin Mubama, although a much-changed side fell short in west London.
The result means West Ham's wait to secure Premier League safety goes on for at least another week, with Leeds United the visitors to London Stadium next Sunday afternoon.
The Hammers will now turn their attention to the second leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, where a draw will be enough to secure passage to the final.
With only Nayef Aguerd and Tomáš Souček retained from Thursday’s first-leg win over AZ, a heavily-rotated side were unable to record a first Premier League win against the Bees, who have now won all four of the top-flight meetings since their promotion in 2021.
It took just 20 minutes for the hosts to prise the opening, with West Ham caught playing out from the back. Aguerd’s pass was for Flynn Downes was cut out and left the Hammers outnumbered. Mathias Jensen then found Mbeumo, who shot low past Fabiański from close range.
And after Emerson forced a save from Bees’ stopper David Raya at the end of a run from halfway, the Bees continued to control a fixture that soon moved out of West Ham’s reach.
Warning signs came and went as Fabiański, making his 350th Premier League appearance, stopped Wissa from finishing a flowing move, while long throws continued to trouble the Irons and eventually brought the second home goal of the afternoon. Ben Mee flicked on Jensen’s long throw and Wissa had time and space to head in from close range.
Danny Ings did force a neat save from Raya as West Ham pushed for an immediate response, but it was Brentford, who deservedly led by two goals at the break.
West Ham continued to search for a way back in the second 45 minutes. Maxwel Cornet and Manuel Lanzini, both making their second Premier League starts of the season, combined well down the left, before the No10’s cross was headed wide by Souček. However, the assistant's flag was then raised against the Argentina international for offside.
Brentford continued to carve West Ham open at the other end. A hatful of chances came and went for the Bees, before the hour-mark, which saw Declan Rice, Divin Mubama and Saïd Benrahma introduced, before Mikkel Damsgaard should have netted a third when he volleyed another Mee header over the gaping net.
The Hammers did have the ball in the net when Benrahma’s cross hit the post, Mubama, and was then poked into the path of Ings by Lanzini. However, the No18’s fourth in Claret and Blue was ruled out, after referee Michael Oliver adjudged the ball to have Mubama’s arm after being called to the pitchside screen by VAR Robert Jones.
While Benrahma tested Raya late on, Ings’ disallowed goal was a moment that might have sparked a fightback. Instead, the decision took any hopes of salvaging a share of the spoils away from the Hammers.
And, in truth, Mbeumo could have made the final scoreline wider in the closing stages, were it not for a sprawling save from Fabiański.
A game to forget, then, but one that was certainly played with one eye on next Thursday’s action.
Brentford: Raya ©, Hickey (Roerslev 85), Mee, Pinnock, Henry, Janelt, Jensen (Onyeka 70), Damsgaard (Baptiste 77), Wissa (Dasilva 78), Mbeumo, Schade (Ghoddos 85)
Subs not used: Cox (GK), Zanka, Ajer, Stevens
Goals: Mbeumo 20 Wissa 43
Booked: Hickey
West Ham United: Fabiański, Johnson, Aguerd, Ogbonna ©, Emerson, Downes, Souček (Rice 58), Fornals (Mubama 58) , Lanzini, Cornet (Benrahma 58) , Ings (Bowen 81)
Subs: Areola (GK), Cresswell, Kehrer, Paquetá, Zouma
Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 17,075 (1,685 from West Ham United)
