West Ham 1-1 Burnley
by Paul Donovan
at London Stadium

WEST HAM ended up regretting wasted chances in this tightly contested game against Burnley at the London Stadium.

The home team had the better of the opening chances, with Jarrod Bowen seeing his shot from a corner saved by Burnley keeper Nick Pope.

Aaron Cresswell then saw his volley attempt cleared off the line.

An unfortunate clash between Nikola Vlasic and Ashley Westwood, saw the latter taken off on a stretcher with a serious leg injury.

Visibly shaken, Vlasic was consoled by West Ham and Burnley players. The protracted delay, though, favoured the visiting side, with Maxwell Cornet’s corner first coming back off the bar from a Jay Rodriquez header but then falling for Wout Weghorst to  head home.

It seemed worse was to follow, when Cornet got clear chasing a long ball from the back.

Home keeper Lukasz Fabianski brought the striker down but then saw Cornet whip the resulting penalty wide of the post.

West Ham came out with greater urgency in the second half, Tomas Soucek being denied after connecting with a Manuel Lanzini cross.

West Ham finally equalised in the 73rd minute, when Soucek met Lanzini’s free kick to force home.

The home side would then have gone on to win but for the brilliance of Pope.

First a Benrahma, Rice, Antonio crossfield move saw Pope push a vicious shot from Antonio over.

Then Issa Diop met a Fornals cross, which Pope somehow saved one handed down to his right.

Finally, Antonio was put away by Bowen and really should have scored but Pope spread himself and made the save.

West Ham manager David Moyes felt his side did enough to win the game.

“In the second half, we were the better team and got the rhythm,” said Moyes, who regretted his side’s missed chances.

Burnley caretaker manager Michael Jackson recognised the role Pope had played with “two great saves.”

Honours even, though managerless Burnley will be happier with the point.