Dinamo Zagreb only needed a point to advance into the Europa League knockout round play-offA youthful West Ham side ended their Europa League group campaign with a home loss to Dinamo Zagreb.
The Hammers had already won Group H, securing their place in the tournament’s last 16 in March and, as a result, David Moyes named a starting XI including five players aged 20 or under.
An inexperienced defence conceded after only three minutes when they backed off Mislav Orsic following a throw-in and he curled the ball into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Sonny Perkins, 17, in his first start for the Hammers, would have become the club’s youngest scorer in European competitions but headed over from Harrison Ashby’s cross.
Dinamo Zagreb, who have won the Croatian league four years in a row, finish second in the group and also advance in the competition.
“I’m a winner and disappointed we didn’t get something out of the game,” said Moyes.
“I thought the young players did really well and recovered after losing an early goal.
“I’m always happy to give young players a chance but they have to earn the right to play and none of them let us down – they did a great job.”
Reaction to Thursday’s Europa League matchesEverything you need to know about West Ham, all in one placeGood experience for young HammersWest Ham have been competing in the group stage of the Europa League for the first time and 13 points from their first five matches had guaranteed them top spot.
That meant they jump straight into March’s last 16, avoiding February’s play-offs which will feature the eight Europa League runners-up against the eight teams that finished third in their Champions League groups, including Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Porto.
West Ham’s Under-23s are currently top of the Premier League 2 competition and Moyes decided to select the back four that regularly plays in that competition.
That meant first starts for 18-year-old Jamal Baptiste and 20-year-old trio Emmanuel Longelo, Aji Alese and Ashby.
A wonder goal from Orsic in the opening minutes was a tough introduction to the higher standard, although the home defence did improve as the game progressed.
However, the hosts struggled to create chances.
Zagreb captain Arijan Ademi headed over in the first half and Luka Ivanusec missed two chances within a minute of each other.
After the break, a fine one-handed save from West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola denied the visitors and Orsic a second goal.
But this was a perfect opportunity for some of the Hammers’ youngsters to get some game time and for Moyes to rest some first-teamers in a busy month that sees them play nine times, including a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham on 22 December.
Late on, Moyes introduced 20-year-old Keenan Forson and fellow midfielder Freddie Potts, the 18-year-old son of ex-West Ham defender Steve, who played more than 500 times for the club.
Moyes’ side, fourth in the Premier League, can now forget about this tournament for three months before some potentially huge challenges ahead in the spring of 2022.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Moyes. “At the start of the campaign, if you had said we would have European football after Christmas, I would’ve been really pleased but to win the group was very good.
“At the moment West Ham are a big team and people will be worried about us.
“We’re a good team and if we can take on Champions League finalists and winners and give them a run for their money then whoever we get, we will give them a good game.”
Player of the match
LongeloEmmanuel Longelo
with an average of 7.58
West Ham UnitedSquad number56Player nameLongelo
Squad number50Player nameAshby
Squad number13Player nameAreola
Squad number75Player nameBaptiste
Squad number42Player nameAlese
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Squad number64Player namePerkins
Squad number16Player nameNoble
Squad number8Player nameFornals
Squad number11Player nameVlasic
Squad number33Player nameKrál
Squad number59Player nameAppiah-Forson
Squad number62Player namePotts
Squad number7Player nameYarmolenko
Dinamo ZagrebSquad number99Player nameOrsic
Squad number39Player nameJuric
Squad number66Player nameDilaver
Squad number28Player nameThéophile-Catherine
Squad number31Player nameBulat
Squad number55Player namePeric
Squad number3Player nameStefulj
Squad number13Player nameRistovski
Squad number8Player nameGojak
Squad number27Player nameMisic
Squad number40Player nameLivakovic
Squad number37Player nameSutalo
Squad number7Player nameIvanusec
Squad number5Player nameAdemi
Squad number9Player nameAndric
Line-upsWest HamFormation 4-2-3-1
13Areola
50Ashby75Baptiste42Alese56Longelo
33Král16Noble
7Yarmolenko8Fornals11Vlasic
64Perkins
13Areola50Ashby75Baptiste42Alese56Longelo33Král16Noble7YarmolenkoSubstituted forPottsat 87’minutes8FornalsSubstituted forBenrahmaat 45’minutes11Vlasic64PerkinsSubstituted forAppiah-Forsonat 87’minutesSubstitutes5Coufal10Lanzini22Benrahma23Diop25Martin26Masuaku35Randolph58Simon-Swyer59Appiah-Forson62PottsDinamo ZagrebFormation 3-5-2
40Livakovic
28Théophile-Catherine37Sutalo55Peric
13Ristovski8Gojak5Ademi7Ivanusec3Stefulj
9Andric99Orsic
40Livakovic28Théophile-Catherine37Sutalo55Peric13RistovskiBooked at 30mins8Gojak5AdemiSubstituted forBulatat 71’minutes7IvanusecBooked at 44mins3StefuljSubstituted forDilaverat 80’minutes9AndricSubstituted forJuricat 64’minutes99OrsicSubstituted forMisicat 64’minutesBooked at 85minsSubstitutes1Zagorac2Moharrami6Lauritsen12Cavlina24Tolic27Misic31Bulat39Juric46Baturina66Dilaver70Menalo77SpikicReferee:Maurizio Mariani
Attendance:49,407
Live TextMatch ends, West Ham United 0, Dinamo Zagreb 1.
Second Half ends, West Ham United 0, Dinamo Zagreb 1.
Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ajibola Alese (West Ham United).
Foul by Amer Gojak (Dinamo Zagreb).
Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Josip Sutalo.
Attempt blocked. Emmanuel Longelo (West Ham United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Deni Juric.
Foul by Deni Juric (Dinamo Zagreb).
Emmanuel Longelo (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, West Ham United. Keenan Appiah-Forson replaces Sonny Perkins.
Substitution, West Ham United. Freddie Potts replaces Andriy Yarmolenko.
Foul by Dino Peric (Dinamo Zagreb).
Sonny Perkins (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Josip Misic (Dinamo Zagreb) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Josip Misic (Dinamo Zagreb).
Mark Noble (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Dinamo Zagreb. Emir Dilaver replaces Daniel Stefulj.
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