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87 min Change for Brentford, Donovan replacing Damsgaard – who was quiet in the first half but whose interventions have been important after the break.
85 min Lovely ball from Bowen releases Summerville, whose cross has nae takers. Both sides are going for the win in 90.
84 min Damsgaard takes a pass from Lewis-Potter and, with the outside of his boot, guides a delectable return-pass between to defenders to meet the run of his mate. Lewis-Potter goes outside his man and laces a low cross that needs just a touch to finish except Thiago isn’t in the middle and, at the back stick, Kayode is on his heels.
83 min If that’s us done with the scoring, we’ll go to extra time and then penalties.
GOAL! West Ham United 2-2 Brentford (Igor Thiago pen 81)
Thiago stutters, pauses, and laces left-middle; Areola barely moves, but had he gone the right way, he’d have saved it.
PENALTY TO BRENTFORD!
80 min Outtara, who’s played well, nashes down the left and stands up a cross to the back post, Areola flapping underneath it. But, just as Kayode prepares to nod home, Summerville shoves him; he’s booked, and I’d be shocked if VAR finds a reason to overturn.
79 min Brentford counter down the left…
78 min After a really good first half, what we’ve seen since has been disappointing. But here comes Bowen, running at Collins off the right and shifting it outside him, opening a shooting lane. He leathers a riser towards the near-post top corner, but Kellher tips behind for a corner, then does a good job clearing his lines when Bowen whips a dangerous ball under the bar.
76 min Another change for West Ham, Magassa replacing Kante.
76 min West Ham look as likely to score a third as Brentford do a second. They’re full of confidence, moving the ball nicely and not scared to backwards to go forwards.
74 min Brentford don’t clear the corner properly, so Bowen tries a cross and this time the ball does go away. I’d hoped for more from Keith Andrews’ side, especially in the second half.
73 min Nice from West Ham down the left, Summerville into Mayers, who flicks behind him only to be felled by Collins. He does well to avoid a booking.
71 min We see Trevor Brooking in the stands; you’ve really got to admire his hairline and dedication to the side parting.
70 min Brentford are upping the pressure, but West Ham are, as you’d expect from a Nuno team, pretty comfortable sitting in a low block, and the latest ball in is shepherded back to Areola.
67 min Brentford haven’t really threatened this half but they win a corner down the left which Outtara swings in; Areola does well to scoop away from under bar then, when a throw follows, he again does enough, Disasi subsequently clearing. So Henderson shoots from distance, a deflection looping the ball into the air for the keeper to catch.
65 min Bowen loops a fine switch out to Summerville which puts him one-on-one with Kayode, who’s having a difficult evening. He gets to the line, keeping the ball in, then cuts back and Soucek arrives on to it, his shot well blocked by Collins.
63 min Brentford send on Jensen for Yarmolyuk, then win a throw deep inside the West Ham half. So Kayode hurls in, Mavrapanos makes first contact, and Fernandes turns cleverly on the edge to clear.
62 min West Ham have played well since half-time and, as I type, Kante finds Summerville who veers away from Yarmolyuk at quite some pace, wearing the inevitable retaliatory foul.
61 min Righto, I’ve found pictures on my phone. West Ham have replaced Pablo with Castellanos.
And here’s Daniel Harris again …
57 min: Mavropanos hoofs a clearance miles … nearly bringing Pablo, up top, into play.
Taha Hashim
56 min: Hello, folks. Summerville, on at half-time, shows off those silky feet, jinking away at the edge of the area before his shot is deflected for a corner … Bowen’s ball in finds the hands of Kelleher.
50 min Taha Hashim is going to take over until I’m back with pictures.
48 min Afraid I’m not getting coverage on desktop, laptop or phone; I guess there’s an issue with the app. I’m working on it.
46 min We’re under way again, with West Ham making two changes: Scarles, who struggled with Outtara, is replaced by Ezra Mayers, while Crysencio Summerville replaces Traore. He’s in great form; look for him on the counter at Brentford seek an equaliser.
Er, my discovery+ has stopped working, and it’s not working on my phone either. Hopefully it’ll be back soon.
Half-time reading:
HALF-TIME: West Ham United 2-1 Brentford
This is a really fun tussle, and I’d be shocked if it finishes 2-1.
45+5 min Henderson leaps for a high ball with Kante and, from quite some height, lands on his arm. That looked pretty sore, but after treatment he’s up and looks like he’ll be able to continue.
45+4 min West Ham win a free-kick on the right and Fernandes drills a terrific ball into the middle, Soucek lanking on to it to punish a downward header … which Kelleher tips away superbly.
45+3 min Scarles curls in a superb delivery and, at the back post, Soucek is up, heading hard … only for Kelleher to claw away from under the bar. The ball, though, hits Disasi who, six yards out, lets it drop then swings a foot to put his side 3-1 up …. only to connect with fresh air.
45+2 min Bowen looks to flick by Lewis-Potter and though the move doesn’t work out, he bundles through him to scavenge a corner.
45+1 min We’ll have six additional minutes.
45 min Brentford maintain pressure, earning another opportunity for Kayode to throw into the box. Again, Collins makes first contact, but this time Soucek is on-hand to clear.
44 min Outtara’s delivery is excellent too, the ball whipped in and well met by Collins, who flicks hard with his head. The effort looks goalbound too, but Scarles is well-placed to butt clear.
43 min Brentford again push forward, winning a corner down the right; the big lads come up from the back.
41 min The resultant corner comes to nowt. There’s been a terrific tempo to this half, which has flown by.
40 min …but it’s not a penalty. Fernandes got a decent touch on the ball, the contact which followed deemed inevitable. That’s excellent, sensible work from VAR, and no, I’ve not been hacked.
39 min VAR wants a look; I fear for West Ham…
39 min Damsgaaard checks in centrefield to send a lovely pass out to Outtara, who takes it on the right, cutting inside Scarles, who puts an arm on his shoulder but doesn’t quite do enough to concede the penalty. The ball, though, runs on to Schade, but Fernandes comes across to challenge … and is that a foul? I think he trod on his foot…
38 min Lewis-Potter weaves forward between three defenders and, just as he looks likely to run out of pitch, Walker-Peters considers sliding in, thinking better of it just in time. Decent run, but.
36 min That Henderson pass, by the way, was an absolute dog, played blind and with little purpose. I’m sure he’ll hold his hands up and all the other cliches that come with the exhibition leadership he enjoys.
GOAL! West Ham United 2-1 Brentford (Bowen pen 34)
Kellher moves right and Bowen, now on a hat-trick, rolls left. This is a decent contest.
PENALTY TO WEST HAM!
The ref sees what he must surely have seen in the first place – and if he didn’t why is he even there?
31 min Yup, to VAR we go, and this is going to be a penalty for West Ham, I’m certain … and yet.
30 min West Ham pump it downfield, Brentford half-clear, and Henderson, 25 yards from goal, cushions a pass … which Traore intercepts, moving into the box. So Kayode panics, trips him, and the ref waves play on, presumably relying on VAR to save him. The game proceeds.
29 min Nope, it’s a goal, and it belongs to Thiago not Collins. That’s 20 for the season for him; what a signing.
29 min Yes it did hit Thiago, but no he wasn’t offside – a man on the near side played him on. I can’t believe they’ll deem this handball.
29 min But Var wants a look: did the ball hit Thiago, if so was he offside, and if not, was it on the arm?
GOAL! West Ham United 1-1 Brentford (Collins 28)
This time, Kayode goes short, to Outtara, who shmies inside then twinkles outside Scarles, beaten far too easily. He stands up a cross and, with no pace on the ball, Collins has to severely crank his neck muscles, leaping backwards to head down and past Areola.
28 min Brentford win another throw in a dangerous position, this time down the right.
