Star boy Mohammed Kudus has done his best to kill West Ham’s top six hopes with a brilliant brace for Ghana at AFCON.
We say it partly in jest, fear and from a place of love for the boy who is just oh so good.
From a selfish perspective David Moyes and everyone connected with West Ham – Ghanaian Hammers aside perhaps – are hoping Mohammed Kudus makes an early return to east London from AFCON.
That very much looked on the cards when Ghana lost 2-1 to Cape Verde in their opening group game.
The defeat meant Ghana faced an uphill task to qualify for the last 16, news welcomed back at West Ham who desperately need their £38m man.
Especially if the Hammers are to maintain their push for the Premier League’s European spots in the coming weeks and months.
But star boy Kudus has done his best to kill West Ham’s top six hopes with a brilliant brace.
The sensational Hammer is just simply so good he single-handedly elevated hapless Chris Hughton’s distinctly average side to a higher level when they faced Egypt.
Kudus smashed home a stinging drive in first half stoppage time to give Ghana the lead.
He even did his famous West Ham sitting celebration on the hoardings.
Egypt equalised in the second half. But moments later Kudus struck again from inside the box.
West Ham will have been privately relieved to see Egypt equalise once again as a frantic game ended 2-2.
The problem – for the Hammers at least – is that the draw means should Ghana beat Mozambique in their final group game on Monday night then they will likely qualify for the last 16 as one of the top four third-placed sides as a bare minimum.
Those matches take place between January 27 and 30.
Beyond Kudus’s brilliance, though, Ghana did little to suggest they will be a match for one of the top sides they would face in that scenario.
So West Ham can still be hopeful of getting Kudus back – hopefully in one piece given some of the challenges being made in the tournament – for the Man United away game on February 4.
If the tournament was outside of the domestic season West Ham fans would be rooting for their main man to go all the way.
But while he’s certainly doing the Hammers proud, we all want him back ASAP for our own good!
If he keeps playing like this, though, it will only delay it.
What. A. Player.
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