Club NXT U23 4-3 West Ham United U21s
Pre-Season Match, Schiervelde Stadion, Roeselare, Belgium, Saturday 10 August 2024, 1.30pm CEST
West Ham United U21s concluded their pre-season preparations with a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Club NXT in Schiervelde Stadion, Roeselare.
It all looked good for Club NXT - Club Brugge's Under-23 side - for the first 45 minutes as they held a comprehensive four-goal lead, but a defiant second half display from the young Hammers, spearheaded by the irrepressible Lewis Orford, saw West Ham almost complete a remarkable second half turnaround.
Club NXT U23s dominated the early exchanges and were rewarded after 20 minutes when Alejandro Granados swung in an inviting cross from the left and Kaye Furo flicked a header past West Ham keeper Finley Hooper.
Just two minutes later, the hosts doubled their advantage as Furo stooped to guide home Jano Willems’ cross before Liam De Smet stormed into the box and cut the ball back for Tobias Lund Jensen to make it 3-0 ten minutes later.
Lenn De Smet compounded the Hammers’ first half misery when he finished smartly beyond Hooper after 44 minutes.
Into the second half, and West Ham looked rejuvenated immediately after the restart, with the difficult nature of the first 45 minutes prompting substitutions.
They reduced the deficit from the penalty spot through captain Lewis Orford on 61 minutes, before the Irons’ comeback hopes gained further momentum courtesy of Oliver Scarles’ stunning 20-yard free-kick.
Scarles then turned provider after 84 minutes when he found Orford, who got into the penalty area and shifted the ball to create space before powerfully firing beyond Axl de Corte.
The young Hammers pressed late on for a leveller, but to no avail, as attention now turns to their Premier League 2 curtain-raiser at Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday 16 August.
West Ham United U21s: Hooper, Robinson (Trialist), Scarles, Akpata, Luizão, Mayers, Moore (Battrum 53), Orford ©, Swyer (Brown 90), Rigge (Ajala 46), Adiele (Tarima 46).
Sub not used: Abraham (GK)
Robson: Our second half performance was our best of pre-season
Despite defeat in Belgium, U21s lead coach Mark Robson says his side's second-half performance at Schiervelde Stadion was the best of their entire pre-season campaign.
West Ham looked for to be heading for a crushing defeat against their Belgian Challenger Pro League counterparts after 45 minutes, but put in an outstanding second half performance and were perhaps unfortunate to leave empty-handed.
“We didn’t show up in the first half and perhaps gave them [Club NXT U23s] a bit too much respect," Robson said. "To be fair, I thought they were really good, were very organised in the way they play and caused us a lot of problems. We’re really disappointed to have conceded four goals in the first half.
“We changed the shape slightly in the second half and asked the boys to raise their energy levels and try and win the second half. The most important thing for me was to try and get some kind of performance, and we managed to get ourselves right back in the game.
“To be fair, on another day you end up nicking a draw, and we were very unlucky in the end. I’m very pleased with the second half, and it was our best performance of pre-season. I think it does show a lot of character, as the boys never gave up and had a right go.
“Pre-season has been a massive learning curve for some of the younger players, and I think this pre-season they’ve realised what they need to do to get to where they want to get to. They saw the boys who had come back from spending some time with the first team and showed that grit and determination to want to succeed.
“Overall, the big thing from pre-season is that a lot of the younger lads have gone away with the first team, which has been very pleasing. It’s great they got that opportunity and have been away with them for almost all of pre-season.
"It’s given them the opportunity to show the first team staff what they’re all about and I think some of them have done very well. We’ve been able to move some of the U18s up a level to the U21s, and it’s been a good opportunity for them to see what the next level is and what you need to do to succeed.”
Orford: It's been a really positive pre-season
It has been a whirlwind few months for 18-year-old Academy of Football star Lewis Orford, who has spent the most part of pre-season with Julen Lopetegui's first team squad, having been part of squads in Kitzbühel, Austria and on the Sunshine State Tour.
Today, he was handed the armband, and led by example both on and off the pitch.
The midfielder gave the young Hammers slim hope with a well-taken penalty before slotting home his second of the afternoon to set up a nervy finish.
“I thought it was a tough game overall. We obviously went 4-0 down in the first half, which was disappointing as our press was a bit off, but the change of formation helped us at half-time," Orford confirmed. "We kicked on in the second-half and scored quite early and were unlucky not to come back and draw 4-4.
“We did well to get three goals in the second half and make the scoreline a lot more respectable.
“The manager told us to be a bit tougher as we were playing against opposition who were playing in the men’s league, and I think we showed that in the second half.
“When the subs came on, they brought the intensity up as well, and I thought Josh Ajala was very good today.
“It’s been really good being away with the first team, and you always learn a lot from being around them. You learn how they lead themselves on and off the pitch, so when you come back to the U21s, you’ve got to lead by example and use your voice. Everyone sort of comes with you and follows you, and I think as a team we got a lot stronger in the second half.
“It’s been a good pre-season for me personally. I got quite a few minutes with the first team and was able to show the new manager what I can do, and I think I impressed him. Coming back to the U21s today, I think I had a good game and managed to get two goals. It’s been a really positive pre-season, and hopefully we can kick on.”
