LONDON (AP) – West Ham started Premier League life at its new home at the London Stadium by beating 10-man Bournemouth 1-0 on Sunday, with Michail Antonio grabbing the 85th-minute victor. The Hammers welcomed the Premier League into their new home for the first time and got off to a winning start when Antonio crashed in a header five minutes from time.
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August is not even over and the treatment room at West Ham’s training ground is already fit to burst, with Bilic forced to make do without seven senior players against Bournemouth.
West Ham United striker Andy Carroll will be sidelined for several weeks after suffering a knee injury, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic revealed on Sunday.
The 76th minute brought perhaps the biggest talking point of the game, with Bournemouth’s Harry Arter being sent off for a second yellow card after a tussle with West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté.
There was nearly late drama as Cherries striker Joshua King forced Adrian into a smart save in the 92nd minute, he snuck behind an asleep West Ham defence following a long-throw.
Frustrated by Diego Costa’s late victor for Chelsea in their Premier League opener at Stamford Bridge on Monday, West Ham were also dealing with a host of injuries to key players including Andre Ayew, Payet and Carroll.
Carroll sustained the problem during West Ham’s Europa League play-off first leg 1-1 draw against Astra Giurgiu on Thursday.
Inspired by Callum Wilson’s hat-trick, Bournemouth romped to a 4-3 win at Upton Park last season.
Howe’s men continued to up the pressure, and would have opened the scoring moments later had Adrian not managed to tip King’s blistering strike over.
Tore volleyed into the side-netting from Antonio’s cross as West Ham tried to regain the initiative, but Bilic was unimpressed and introduced on-loan Argentine forward Jonathan Calleri for his debut in place of the ineffective Valencia.
Suddenly, West Ham found more space in attacking areas and they snatched the points in the 85th minute.
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The winger rose at the far post to head in Gokhan Tore’s cross in one of the few chances created in a drab, low-quality match.
