West Ham United FC overcomes Fiorentina to win the club’s first European title since 1965.
With Jarrod Bowen’s late goal in the Europa Conference League final, West Ham defeated Fiorentina 2-1. After this wonderful victory they win their first European championship in over 60 years.
In the 90th minute, Bowen raced on to Lucas Paqueta’s superb ball and tucked a shot past Pietro Terracciano to give the Hammers a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in Prague.
The victory gave West Ham their first piece of silverware since the 1980 FA Cup. As well as it is their first European title in 58 years.
“You always say you want to score in the last second in front of these fans,” Bowen says.
“I was expecting to cry.”
“I’m overjoyed. “We haven’t had the best season, including myself, but to do it tonight, I’m overjoyed,” he remarked.
“I think if you make that run ten times in my position, you might get that ball once.” You must put it away as soon as you obtain it.”
Bowen had earlier won the penalty from which Said Benrahma scored, but Fiorentina’s Giacomo Bonaventura equalized just four minutes later.
Despite nearly eight minutes of injury time, Fiorentina had no answer for Bowen’s goal, sparking wild celebrations among West Ham players as they danced in front of their fans after winning the London club’s second-ever European title and the first since the old European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965.
West Ham United FC wins European Title after struggling many Trophyless years
West Ham finished 14th in the Premier League. But they were undefeated in Europe, winning 12 of 13 games in the competition after winning qualification. The victory also secures the team a place in the Europa League for the next season.
“I’ve had a long career in football, and there aren’t many moments like this,” West Ham manager David Moyes remarked. Moyes job was threatened earlier in the season when the team was suffering near the league’s relegation zone.
Moyes became the first Scottish coach to win a UEFA championship since 2008, when Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson won his second Champions League trophy.
Fiorentina controlled possession in the first half and came close to taking the lead shortly before halftime when Christian Kouame’s header hit the post. The rebound was headed home by Luka Jovic, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Fiorentina was waiting for a European trophy for longer than West Ham, having won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1961.
It became the first team in four major continental tournaments to reach the final and appeared to have done enough to force extra time before allowing Bowen to evade the offside trap and come clean on goal.
“I honestly didn’t think it could end like this tonight,” Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano remarked.
