West Ham secured their position at the top of UEFA Europa League Group A with a 1-0 triumph over Olympiacos at the London Stadium, thanks to Lucas Paqueta’s exquisite volley. Seeking redemption from their previous loss in Greece, David Moyes’s team faced a resilient Olympiacos defense, enduring moments of frustration before breaking through.
Nayef Aguerd, the defender, had three first-half header opportunities from corners, none finding the mark. The hosts struggled in the second half, with James Ward-Prowse’s miss-hit strike being their best attempt until Paqueta’s decisive volley 17 minutes from time. Initially disallowed for offside, VAR confirmed the Brazilian’s perfectly timed late run.
With this victory, West Ham leads the group with nine points, edging out Freiburg on head-to-head records. Olympiacos sits in third with four points, while Backa Topola has one. Looking ahead, West Ham faces Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, while Olympiacos visits Asteras Tripolis in the Greek Superleague.
Joe Cole analyzed the match, attributing the goal to “two absolutely quality players” and describing it as a moment of magic. Despite West Ham appearing low in confidence and laboring at times, their resilience paid off, securing the win through a moment of brilliance from two outstanding players.