MX23RW : Thursday, November 26 20:04:32| >> :120:10864:10864:

Result: West Ham hold on to beat Fulham after Lookman penalty blunder

Result: West Ham hold on to beat Fulham after Lookman penalty blunder
© Reuters
Ademola Lookman will not want to look at this match again after blowing the chance to rescue a point after his tame spot-kick was saved.

Ademola Lookman fluffed a Panenka-style penalty with the last kick of the match as Tomas Soucek's stoppage-time goal earned West Ham a 1-0 victory over Fulham.

Lookman will not want to look at this match again after blowing the chance to rescue a point after his tame spot-kick was saved.

Sebastien Haller and Aleksandar Mitrovic had fired blanks again as a tepid encounter was drifting towards a goalless draw.

But the match exploded into life in stoppage time when Czech midfielder Soucek finished clinically after he was set up by £25million new boy Said Benrahma.

Benrahma then had an impact at the other end when he was adjudged to have tripped Tom Cairney in the penalty area – referee Robert Jones consulting the pitchside monitor before pointing to the spot.

But with the last kick of the game, Lookman chipped his penalty into the arms of Lukasz Fabianski.

Ademola Lookman attempted a Panenka-style penalty with the last kick of the game
Ademola Lookman attempted a Panenka-style penalty with the last kick of the game (Julian Finney/PA)

It was such an awful effort that Fabianski, who had begun to dive to his right, actually had time to get back up and make the save.

It was a dramatic end to what had otherwise been a terrible match, and certainly not worth the £14.95 price tag that the broadcasters were charging for the late kick-off.

A fast start from the hosts saw birthday boy Arthur Masuaku force a near-post save from Alphonse Areola, with the Fulham goalkeeper also dealing with Aaron Cresswell's follow-up.

Jarrod Bowen's fierce volley took a deflection and was superbly tipped over by Areola before, from the corner, Haller's header clipped the crossbar.

West Ham United v Fulham – Premier League – London Stadium
West Ham United's Said Benrahma (left) and Fulham's Ola Aina battle for the ball during the Premier League match at the London Stadium.

Mitrovic's chances came midway through the first half but he failed to get enough on Harrison Reed's cross at the far post and and then planted a free header wide.

Fulham boss Scott Parker, a distinguished player for West Ham between 2007-11, turned away in frustration when Cairney's low cross fizzed across goal with no one able to provide the finishing touch.

After the break, Areola made another stunning save, getting a fingertip onto Cresswell's free-kick to touch it onto the crossbar.

Pablo Fornals scuffed a shot wide before Hammers boss David Moyes turned to Benrahma from the bench for the final 25 minutes.

Tomas Soucek scored in stoppage time to put West Ham in front before the penalty drama
Tomas Soucek scored in stoppage time to put West Ham in front before the penalty drama (Julian Finney/PA)

The Algeria forward scored twice against Fulham for the Bees in the Carabao Cup last month, but this time when his first chance arrived Areola blocked the shot at his near post.

By contrast Hammers keeper Lukasz Fabianski had not had a save to make until he held Lookman's shot, and moments later the Pole got down sharply to deny Bobby Decordova-Reid.

When Benrahma rolled the ball into Soucek's path in stoppage time, it looked like West Ham had secured the points.

As it turned out they had, but not before Lookman came up with a contender for the worst Premier League penalty ever.

ID:421547:cQx
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
West Ham's Sebastien Haller in action with Liverpool's Jordan Henderson on October 31, 2020
Read Next:
David Moyes confident Sebastien Haller will make an impact at West Ham
>
Latest Sports Video
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Tottenham HotspurSpurs96212191220
2Liverpool96212116520
3Chelsea953122101218
4Leicester CityLeicester96031812618
5Southampton95221713417
6Everton95131916316
7Aston Villa85031911815
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham94231510514
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves9423910-114
10Manchester UnitedMan Utd84131314-113
11Crystal Palace94141213-113
12Arsenal9414910-113
13Manchester CityMan City83321011-112
14Leeds UnitedLeeds93241417-311
15Newcastle UnitedNewcastle93241015-511
16Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton92341315-29
17Burnley8125412-85
18Fulham9117918-94
19West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom9036618-123
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd9018415-111

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!