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West Ham ends Man Utd’s Champions league dream

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West Ham departed the Boleyn Ground in style, scoring twice in the final fifteen minutes to claim a 3-2 win over Manchester United.

 

With the visitors’ coach being “smashed up”, according to captain Wayne Rooney, on its way into the ground, kick-off was delayed by 45 minutes but West Ham showed no ill-effects from the wait.

 

Only 10 minutes had passed before Diafra Sakho finished a superb, flowing move started by Aaron Cresswell, slotting a deflected effort past David de Gea.

 

West Ham could have doubled their lead soon after, only for Andy Carroll to hit an effort at De Gea’s legs after Daley Blind had played him onside.

 

Read also: Messi rues missing Rio 2016 Olympics

 

Man United needed three points to keep their hopes of Champions League in their hands and the visitors were far more aggressive in chasing goals in the second period. They soon had their reward when Anthony Martial slotting in an equaliser from Juan Mata’s cutback.

 

On 72 minutes, Martial struck again, steaming past Winston Reid before exploiting the gap Darren Randolph left at the near post to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

 

It seemed set to be a disappointing end to 112 years at Upton Park but then up stepped Dimitri Payet. First his delivery after a blocked free-kick found an unmarked Michail Antonio to equalise.

 

Then an even-more sumptuous cross reached Winston Reid. De Gea got a hand on it but could not keep out the header. It was the sort of ending Hammers fans would dream about. And it happened.

 

 

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