West Ham United U21s v Athletic Club B
Premier League International Cup, Rush Green Stadium, Wednesday 2 October 2024, 7pm BST
West Ham United U21s continue their Premier League International Cup (PLIC) campaign on Wednesday evening, hosting Athletic Club B at Rush Green Stadium.
After extending their perfect start in Premier League 2 with a fifth consecutive victory on Friday, the young Hammers will be eager to maintain their momentum as they welcome Spanish opposition to east London tomorrow evening.
The Irons kicked-off their PLIC Group B challenge with a 2-2 draw with SL Benfica B of Portugal, while their Bilbao-based opponents drew at Sunderland by the same scoreline.
Tickets...
Tickets are available to buy on matchday at the turnstiles, priced at £5 for Adults and £1 for U18s. West Ham United men’s Season Ticket Holders can attend the fixture for free, and just need to show proof of their Season Ticket at the turnstiles.
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 by car should note that there is no parking available for spectators at Rush Green Stadium due to onsite construction works.
How To Follow…
A live stream of the fixture will be available across the Club’s website, TikTok, and YouTube channel. A match report, highlights and reaction will also follow shortly after the full-time whistle.
Premier League International Cup Explained…
First introduced in the 2014/15 season as part of a strategy to provide Premier League Academies with international experiences, the PLIC comprises of the 16 top finishers in the 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 of each group progress to the quarter-finals.
Coach’s View…
West Ham’s flawless Premier League 2 campaign has created fierce competition for places, and lead coach Mark Robson is expected to make changes as he did in the previous PLIC fixture, which may include handing more development side minutes to some of the U18s.
“It’s a chance to give players more game time,” Robson said. “We’re likely to involve one or two younger lads again, as we have to be mindful not to overuse the same players. We’ve got a talented squad, and cup games like this are a chance to rotate and give others an opportunity. The character shown to come back from 2-0 down last week was outstanding, and I expect us to build on that.”
Opposition…
After facing one of the most renowned academies in SL Benfica B, West Ham’s young Hammers face another tough test against one of Europe’s leading football schools, Bilbao Athletic.
Their century-old unique policy of only signing players hailing from the Basque Country places a big emphasis on their academy to produce most of their players. Nico Williams the latest of a long list of players to be making waves on the European stage having honed their skills at Athletic Bilbao B.
The next crop of talent from Bilbao’s development side are fresh off a promotion, winning their regional Segunda Federación division gaining automatic promotion to Group 1 of the Primera Federación, the division below La Liga 2. A tough start to life back in the third tier of Spanish football, Bilbao have failed to register a win since their opening day victory at home to FC Andorra. With four points from their first six games, the Basque side find themselves in the relegation places.
On the international stage, Athletic Bilbao B began their PLIC campaign away at Sunderland on 11 September. The young Lions were held to a 2-2 draw, missing out on three points after an 82nd-minute equaliser from the Black Cats' Tom Watson.
The Story So Far…
West Ham U21s opened their PLIC account with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against SL Benfica B. After falling behind to two quick goals from João Veloso, Robson’s side mounted an impressive comeback, with Luis Guilherme and Brad Dolaghan both finding the net to salvage a point.
