Reece Burke’s first goal for West Ham United, deep into extra time, handed the Hammers passage to the fourth round of the Emirates Cup at London Stadium.Â
After a goalless stalemate against Shrewsbury Town in normal time, West Ham’s persistence showed late on. After the visitors failed to deal with a corner, Burke lashed home off the underside of the crossbar to send the stadium into raptures.
The Hammers made seven changes from their weekend dismantling of Huddersfield own in the Premier League, offering a first start to highly-rated forward Toni Martinez, who led the line with support from Andre Ayew and Manuel Lanzini.
It was a first half that offered little in the way of chances for either side, even though the Hammers dominated possession and dictated the tempo throughout.
Lanzini offered the night’s first sight of goal, cutting inside and lashing a strike which fizzed over Dean Henderson’s crossbar, and the Argentine looked the most influential for his side.
Moyes’ men kept the ball tidily and nullifying the Shrews’ threats when they attempted to move forward, reducing the visitors to quick half-breaks and speculative balls forward.
The second half began much as the first ended, with West Ham creating chances but not breaking the deadlock. Andre Ayew saw his shot from 20 yards cannon behind off a defender, and minutes later Lanzini’s appeal for a penalty after going to ground were dismissed by referee Jeremy Simpson.
It was the Shrews who came closest in the 63rd minute. Stefan Payne found himself one-on-one with Joe Hart after a wayward pass let the forward in, but the former Shrews stopper was equal to Payne’s effort on goal.
The Hammers responded by replacing Andre Ayew and Reece Oxford with Marko Arnautovic and Mark Noble, and the double change saw a renewed intensity through the latter stages. Â
Toni Martinez and Arnautovic both struck the side netting, but the contest went the distance.
Lanzini came closest in the first half of extra time, as the game opened up he twisted and turned, before beating Henderson only to have his drive blocked on the line.
It fell to 21-year-old Reece Burke to seal proceedings, the defender lashing home off the underside of the crossbar after a sustained period of pressure late on.
