West Ham United wrapped up their pre-season tour of Australia in style with a third consecutive victory, defeating local rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Tuesday.
The Hammers continued their impressive form in preparation for the new campaign as goals from Danny Ings, Divin Mubama and Gianluca Scamacca ensured another victory for David Moyes’ men Down Under.
The promising goalscoring form of the Iron’s front men continued with first half headers from Ings and Mubama giving West Ham a two goal lead at the break.
A host of half-time changes for Tottenham saw Ange Postecoglu’s men make a strong start to the second half. Their pressure was rewarded as Giovanni Lo Celso’s sweetly struck volley and Destiny Udogie’s flicked header brought Spurs back into the contest.
But the Hammers fought back to retake the lead when substitute Scamacca latched on to Pablo Fornals’ slide rule pass and finished superbly to seal victory.
Moyes named a mixture of youth and experience in the starting lineup for the Hammers’ second and final match of the Unmissable Football tour in Western Australia.
Academy of Football graduates Mubama, Levi Laing and Freddie Potts were included from the start, with all three rewarded with further game time following impressive performances against Perth Glory.
They were joined by the experience of eight first-team regulars as the Irons lined up against a strong Tottenham side.
The first opportunity for the game fell to Spurs when Sergio Reguillon combined with Manor Solomon who cut inside to find the onrushing Oliver Skipp, but his low shot was well smothered by Lukas Fabianski.
Fabianski was called in to action again moments later with Solomon providing the pass for Dejan Kulusevski, but his effort was again denied by the Hammer’s captain.
It was the Irons who would break the deadlock on 18 minutes, with Ings scoring the opening goal. The lively Jarrod Bowen, who was dangerous throughout, cut inside from the right and delivered a dangerous cross to the back post, where Ings was perfectly placed to nod home.
The Hammers doubled their lead shortly after, on 23 minutes, when Mubama continued his prolific goalscoring form in pre-season.
Fornals and Emerson Palmieri combined with some quick thinking from a short corner and the latter provided another delightful cross to the near post where Mubama rose unmarked to expertly glance a header beyond Guglielmo Vicario in the Spurs goal, scoring his third goal in three pre-season games.
David Moyes’ men continued to look dangerous on the counter-attack with Ings, Mubama and Bowen all combining well going forward.
Indeed it seemed the Hammers would go into the half-time break three goals to the good when Bowen escaped down the right late in the half. Cutting inside on to his left foot in trademark fashion, his low shot was firmly struck but saved well by Vicario.
The Irons would comfortably see out the first half, with Tottenham growing in frustration as they struggled to find a way past a well organised West Ham backline.
The second half saw a raft of changes for Spurs as new boss Ange Postegoclu introduce eleven new players. Those fresh legs sparked an energetic response as Tottenham started the second half brightly, moving the ball quicker and creating numerous chances.
West Ham continued to defend doggedly but eventually their resistance was broken when Spurs pulled a goal back through Lo Celso after 69 minutes. The Hammer’s failed to clear Alfie Devine’s cross from the right and the ball fell kindly to the Argentine, who made no mistake with a powerful close-range finish.
Spurs would further capitalise on their second-half dominance, finding an equaliser just minutes later when full-back Udogie rose to head Lo Celso’s corner in to the far corner.
However West Ham would regain their lead on 78 minutes with a sublime finish from substitute Scamacca. The Italian forward raced clear and showed his class to coolly finish following an inch perfect through ball from Spaniard Fornals.
Spurs continued to enjoy the majority of second half possession and pushed hard for a late equaliser, going close through efforts from Emerson Royal, Ivan Perisic and an acrobatic attempt from Richarlison. But the Hammers defended resolutely and held on for a deserved victory and a satisfying end to their Australia tour.
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario (Austin 46), Pedro Porro (Royal 46), Romero (Sanchez 46), Tanganga (Davies 46), Reguilon (Udogie 46), Skipp (Sarr 46), Bissouma (Højbjerg 46), Maddison (Devine 46), Solomon (Lo Celso 46), Kulusevski, (Perisic 46) Kane © (Richarlison 46)
Subs not used: Whiteman (GK), White
Goals: Lo Celso 68, Udogie 71
West Ham United: Fabiański, Laing, Zouma (Luizão 85), Ogbonna ©, Emerson, Downes (Chesters 70), Potts, Bowen (Earthy 85), Fornals, Mubama (Swyer 58), Ings (Scamacca 58)
Subs not used: Anang (GK), Knightbridge (GK), Cresswell, Coventry
Goals: Ings 18, Mubama 23, Scamacca 78
Attendance: 46,266
•written by Joe Widdowson