The ties, which will be played on August 18 and August 25, are the final qualification hurdle for the 44 teams involved as they bid to make it to the group stage.
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West Ham’s new abode was a 54,000 sell-out despite not looking quite the finished product, with a hastily-laid mixture of astroturf and tarpaulin covering the athletics track. Yet that would have been presumptuous given that no one was sure about what to expect. “It was totally different to the game in Slovenia, the early goal helped”.
The times are defintely changing at West Ham: a new badge, a new stadium and the dismissal of former academy head Tony Carr during the Summer all giving fans cause for concern that some unquantifiable part of our club was being lost.
There was no stage fright on opening night for West Ham United, just goals, no mishaps, and progression to the Europa League play-off round as the Olympic Stadium re-opened for claret and blue business. “It was more than I expected”, West Ham’s manager said. “The atmosphere is loud”. They are not going to get you a corner.
Slaven Bilic saluted a job well done after West Ham avoided a false start at their new home and was taken by surprise with the atmosphere.
Valencia cut the ball back to Sam Byram, who made a mess of his shot but the ball bobbled as far as Kouyate for a simple back-heel from six yards out.
Two goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and one from signing Sofiane Feghouli saw West Ham claim the big win, bouncing back from their shock 2-1 loss in the first leg. Domzale’s protests that play should have been stopped for Brachi to receive treatment were ignored by Fredy Fautrel, the French referee who was replaced in the second half after suffering an injury.
And Matic Crnic gave warning of Domzale’s threat with a 35-yard strike on 50 minutes which forced goalkeeper Darren Randolph into his first real save of the game.
Sources have told ESPN FC that Santon has flown into England for talks with West Ham and to undergo a medical.
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To get to my seat I even had to walk under a giant claret and blue shirt bearing the name and squad number of club captain Mark Noble.
