West Ham In Europa League Final After Beating AZ Alkmaar 1-0
West Ham United reached their first major European final since 1976 after they overcame AZ Alkmaar in their Europa Conference League semi-final.
Having won the first leg at London Stadium 2-1, the Hammers were resolute away to their Dutch opponents, reaching the final in Prague on 7 June with a 1-0 second-leg win.
The night, however, was soured by unpleasant scenes off the pitch.
AZ Alkmaar fans attacked an area in which friends and family of the West Ham players were watching the match.
West Ham will face Fiorentina, who beat Basel in extra time in the other semi-final.
The Hammers are hoping to lift their first major trophy since they lifted the 1980 FA Cup; they were one of three winners of the 1999 Intertoto Cup.
West Ham’s last European final had been in the 1975-76 Cup Winners’ Cup when they lost 4-2 to Anderlecht.
They came agonisingly close to breaking that duck last season, losing 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League semi-finals.
This time around they were disciplined, keeping their hosts at arm’s length for much of their second leg.
Paqueta clipped the outside of the post in the 26th minute after good work from Michail Antonio, while captain Declan Rice forced a good save from AZ keeper Mat Ryan shortly after the restart.
Defender Nayef Aguerd also dragged an effort wide from close range in the 82nd minute, before Pablo Fornals raced clear in injury time and buried the ball into the bottom corner to seal the tie.
It means the Hammers have an opportunity to win a first European trophy since they lifted the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965.
