English Premier League Club, West Ham United’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League hang in the balance after they fell to a narrow 0-1 defeat at at Sevilla of Spain in the first leg of their last-16 match.
Munir El Haddadi scored the game’s only goal for the six-time winners, Sevilla as he swept in superbly from Marcos Acuna’s free-kick in the 60th minute.
Until that point West Ham United had more than held their own in their first knockout tie in a major European competition since 1981.
Nikola Vlasic headed an early opportunity straight at Sevilla’s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou. Michail Antonio then missed his kick with the follow up from close range.
Forward, Vlasic also saw goal-keeper, Bounou tip a low driven effort around the post, with Tomas Soucek also testing goalkeeper, Bounou, and Manuel Lanzini seeing his close-range effort blocked as West Ham United tried to breach the meanest defence in Spanish La Liga.
An end-to-end affair also saw Sevilla create several openings of note with Munir heading wide from Jesus Corona’s cross, Youssef En-Nesyri going close and Lucas Ocampos flashing an effort across the face of the West Ham United goal.
