Brentford 1-1 West Ham United. West Ham United secured a 1-1 draw at Brentford, thanks to Tomas Soucek’s second-half goal, after Bryan Mbeumo had given the hosts a lightning-fast lead within the first minute.
For the third consecutive Premier League match, Brentford struck inside the opening 60 seconds, with Mbeumo curling a volley past West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola after just 37 seconds.
Despite the early setback, West Ham remained composed and created several opportunities throughout the first half. Jarrod Bowen, Michail Antonio, and Mohammed Kudus all had chances, though only Kudus managed to test Brentford keeper Dean Henderson.
Brentford, after their quick start, seemed content to absorb West Ham’s pressure, offering little in attack for much of the half. Their next chance didn’t come until the 34th minute when Mbeumo headed over the bar.
Soucek’s Equalizer and West Ham’s Response
West Ham’s persistence paid off shortly after the break. Soucek, stepping into the starting lineup in place of the suspended Edson Alvarez, reacted quickly to a loose ball in the box and slotted it home from close range to level the match.
With the game finely balanced, Brentford began to dominate possession and created several promising moments. Yehor Yarmoliuk came closest to regaining the lead for the Bees, but his shot was saved by Areola.
As the match drew to a close, West Ham applied pressure, forcing Brentford to defend deep. Substitute Crysencio Summerville almost clinched a winner for the visitors in the final moments, but his tight-angled shot was deflected onto the roof of the net.
Brentford’s Early Scoring Streak Continues
Brentford has made a habit of fast starts, becoming the first team in Premier League history to score in the opening minute in three consecutive matches. Mbeumo’s opener followed similar strikes in recent losses to Tottenham and Manchester City.
Despite their early success, Brentford has struggled to build on those moments. Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have been the club’s only Premier League scorers this season, and with Wissa sidelined for two months due to an ankle injury, the Bees face attacking challenges.
Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium has been a fortress early in the season, with two home wins, but their away form has been poor, with no points collected from tough trips to Liverpool, Spurs, and Manchester City.
Concerns Grow for Brentford
While it’s too early to sound alarm bells for manager Thomas Frank, Brentford’s failure to convert leads into wins is a concern. The Bees have now dropped 38 points from winning positions since the start of last season, the most of any team in the division. Their defense remains a worry, as they have yet to keep a clean sheet this season.
The loss of key players like Ivan Toney, the club’s top scorer for three of the past four seasons, and Wissa’s injury have left Brentford looking vulnerable up front.
West Ham Show Resilience Under Lopetegui
On the other hand, West Ham’s Julen Lopetegui, who took over the club in the summer, has yet to earn the same goodwill as Frank. Despite spending over £150 million in the transfer window, the Hammers have only managed one league victory so far.
After a sluggish start, West Ham found their rhythm and dominated possession for long stretches. Lopetegui made two bold halftime substitutions, bringing on Paris Saint-Germain loanee Carlos Soler and defender Konstantinos Mavropanos. The changes brought balance to the team, and they quickly found the equalizer through Soucek.
Though West Ham hasn’t won a league match since August 24, they came close to stealing all three points at the death, with Soler forcing Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken into a full-stretch save in the final moments.
Referee Simon Hooper’s decision to blow the whistle before West Ham could take a last-minute corner drew protests from the Hammers’ players and manager Lopetegui.
Looking Ahead
Brentford remains 12th in the Premier League, while West Ham sits in 14th. The Hammers will return to the London Stadium to face newly promoted Ipswich on Saturday, October 5th.
source – BBC
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