A remarkable late winner from forward Diafra Sakho was enough for Slaven Bilic’s Hammers to steal a vital three points at The London Stadium on Saturday afternoon, a win that may just have saved the Croat’s Job.
The visitors, Paul Clement’s Swansea City, were devastated to concede so late after putting up a stern and respectable performance, but have now slumped to three defeats in four Premier League Games.
However, the late excitement in Stratford did little to reflect the overall pace of the game as it was dyer affair indeed on a murky East London afternoon.
Heading into the clash, Slaven Bilic opted for two changes to the starting Xl that was defeated on Derby Day by Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, as Marko Arnautovic was replaced by Andy Carroll and Andre Ayew came in for an Angelo Ogbonna in a changed formation.
Manuel Lanzini offered a boost to Bilic as he returned from injury to feature from the bench, but the aforementioned Arnautovic was a late absentee through an illness.
Meanwhile, Paul Clement made three changes to the Side that were beaten at home by Watford last Saturday with Leon Britton, Renato Sanches, and Tammy Abraham came in for Mike van der Hoorn, Leroy Fer, and Sam Clucas.
The atmosphere was hostile from the off at The London Stadium and that was something the visitors were able to capitalize on from the off, as they put in a terrific first half display.
Despite this, it would be us that opened with the first of a Game of very little goalmouth action with Aaron Cresswell’s delivery finding the volley of Michail Antonio.
Swans keeper Lukasz Fabianski launched himself to tip the ball away from goal but replays showed that it was going wide.
Meanwhile, at the other end, the visitors came the closest to opening the scoring, Wilfred Bony let fly from range but his powerful shot was well saved by Joe Hart.
A weak Andre Ayew header would be the last action of a very drab half of Football, as a roar of discontent rang around Stratford with the blowing of Roger East’s half-time whistle, after a very poor performance indeed in the first period from Bilic’s Boys.
There was no doubt that Clement would have been the happier of the two Managers at the Break after his Side had the better of the early play, but his jubilance wouldn’t last for long.
Another thing that would change in the second period was the amount of excitement, but the same couldn’t be said for the standard of Football.
Both Sides went close relatively early, as Michail Antonio’s long ball went within inches of Andy Carroll’s boot for a decisive touch, it just wasn’t the former England forward’s day in the end.
The introduction of Diafra Sakho and Arthur Masuaku for Javier Hernandez and Andre Ayew may have elicited a chorus of boos from the Hammers faithful, but there was no denying the impact that they would have.
With just five minutes remaining, the latter of the two substitutes provided a brilliant delivery to Carroll for his Improvised effort to agonizingly strike the post.
But, it wasn’t all us in the closing stages as just moments before that, Martin Olsson went on a terrific run and saw his effort flash just wide of Hart’s right-hand post.
As added time dawned, Bilic had unleashed his full armory on the visitors’ defence with Lanzini also on the pitch and the away Side also trying to knick a win.
Masuaku, who was on a wondrous run of superb cameo performances, launched a superb ball in behind the back four, for Senegalese International Diafra Sakho to meet at the far post and finish emphatically.
The goal, as pivotal, as they come, raised the roof on The London Stadium and was Sakho’s third of the season in all Competitions, just weeks after his dramatic Deadline Day Saga.
An antagonizing loss meant heartbreak for Swansea and worrying times for Clement with his Side sitting in the Relegation Zone and facing a tricky home assignment against Huddersfield Town after the Break.
Whereas in East London, harmony has been restored yet again with a victory that could prove ever so crucial for Bilic, we are now 15th and out of immediate danger and travel to Turf Moor to meet a form Burnley in 12 days’ time.
Hammer of the Match: Diafra Sakho.
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