West Ham United’s 17-match unbeaten run in Europe ended not with a bang but with a ringing noise in their ears, as Olympiacos — carried by their cacophonic home support — resisted a late rally from the visiting side.
David Moyes made seven changes from West Ham’s loss to Aston Villa but defended his decision after the defeat in Greece. “Our record in the Europa League and Conference League has been very good when we’ve changed players,” he said. “If there’s criticism for it tonight there should be praise for [how it contributed to] the record.”
Before kick-off, the deafening home support unveiled a giant banner depicting Spartan King Leonidas in the film 300, kicking a Persian herald to their death. “Tonight you dine in hell,” it read. The West Ham goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola, had the displeasure of being positioned in front of that wall of noise, yet for the opening 15 minutes he and his team-mates managed the atmosphere well.
James Ward-Prowse dropped infield, between the centre backs, giving West Ham structure to play. As the ball moved forward, he advanced, and West Ham settled into a 2-3-5 shape that allowed them to slip the ball to Mohammed Kudus and Pablo Fornals on the wings. But the visitors struggled to capitalise on their possession.
“We just didn’t get playing through the lines,” Moyes said. “We found it difficult to find the forward players. That meant we kept playing backwards and square.”
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Olympiacos pressed, pushing West Ham deeper. Steadily they consolidated possession, edged upfield and began entering the box, but they rarely threatened, until, from an innocuous midfield position, the Olympiacos midfielder Santiago Hezze found Kostas Fortounis. The Olympiacos captain feigned to run wide but turned inside. Fornals, Soucek and Ward-Prowse — all in close proximity — ambled towards him, and Fortounis slipped between Soucek and Ward-Prowse before arrowing a toe-poke from outside the area into the net.
West Ham responded tamely, seeking to slow the game down and reach half-time without further incident — a hope shattered when Rodinei crossed into the box and Angelo Ogbonna sliced into his own goal.
That drew — finally — a flicker of intensity from West Ham. Danny Ings twisted in the box, working off Saïd Benrahma’s pass, before drawing a save from Alexandros Paschalakis. Alas, that and an effort over the crossbar was all he could muster before he was withdrawn, along with Fornals and Benrahma, for Michail Antonio, Lucas Paquetá and Jarrod Bowen.
Olympiacos defended en masse, resisting the visiting side, until Edson Álvarez’s late appearance increased West Ham’s tempo.
When Paquetá volleyed a sumptuous goal in the 87th minute and eight minutes of added time were signalled, West Ham sprang into life, with Paquetá conducting play as Soucek moved forward. But those efforts were not enough to break Olympiacos.
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���We got better, but it was too late,” Moyes said.
Olympiacos A Paschalakis 6 — Rodinei 6 (Quini 74), J Retsos 7, P Porozo 7, F Ortega 7 — S Alexandropoulos 7 (G Masouras 85), M Camara 7, S Hezze 7 — D Podence 7 (O Solbakken 85), A El Kaabi 7 (G Scarpa 90+5), K Fortounis 7 (S Jovetic 90+5). Booked Retsos, Alexandropoulos, Camara, Masouras.
West Ham A Areola 5 — T Kehrer 5, K Mavropanos 5, A Ogbonna 5, Emerson 5 — J Ward-Prowse 5 (E Álvarez 72), T Soucek 6 — S Benrahma 6 (J Bowen 58), P Fornals 5 (L Paquetá 57), M Kudus 6 (M Cornet 72), D Ings 6 (M Antonio 58). Booked Antonio, Paquetá.
