West Ham lift first major trophy in more than 40 years

West Ham won their first major trophy in more than 40 years in dramatic fashion after a 90th-minute winner over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final.

Jarrod Bowen secured a 2-1 victory for the east London side as the tense final in Prague seemed to be heading into extra time.

The Hammers had opened the scoring after Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi touched the ball with his hand to give away a penalty at around the hour mark.

It was confidently converted by Algerian winger Said Benrahma who celebrated emphatically with his own fans.

Their joy was short-lived as Giacomo Bonaventura equalised with an impressive finish at the opposite end just minutes later.

Some nervous minutes followed for both sets of fans as the two sides battled it out for a winner.

But just as the game looked set for extra time, Bowen timed his run to pick up a weighted pass from Lucas Paqueta before breaking free of the defence in the 90th minute.

He slotted the ball into the bottom right corner before manager David Moyes and the West Ham supporters in the stadium erupted into celebrations.

Analysis: David Moyes’s reputation enhanced by European success

Rob Harris

Sports correspondent

@RobHarris

David Moyes has accomplished what no British manager has for 15 years – win a European trophy.

Not since Alex Ferguson tasted glory in the Champions League with Manchester United.

It was an ill-fated 10 months as his mentor’s successor at United that seemed to derail Moyes’ career.

Nine years on, the travails of coaching changes and fickle fans overcome, Moyes is a winner.

The Europa Conference League – secured with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina – is two rungs down from the Champions League.

But for Moyes and West Ham – given their place in the football pecking order – it will feel no less grand.

And a managerial reputation that United seemed to wreck is enhanced for Moyes.

In an eventful game, play was briefly held up shortly before half-time when Biraghi was struck on the head by an object thrown from the West Ham end as he went to take a corner.

Blood was seen pouring down the back of his neck before his head was bandaged up.

Rice joins list of West Ham greats

West Ham’s victory marks a perfect way to sign off for captain Declan Rice who is destined to leave this summer.

Rice has become only the third West Ham skipper, along with Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, to lift silverware in the club’s 128-year history.

West Ham had last won a major trophy when they lifted the FA Cup in 1980.

Their Europa Conference League victory marks their first European trophy since 1965.

A place in next season’s Europa League means the club has qualified for Europe three seasons in a row for the first time.

Before the match, more than 30 people were arrested after West Ham fans were attacked by a group of Fiorentina supporters.

A group of West Ham fans were drinking in a bar in the centre of the Czech capital when they were reportedly attacked by large numbers of men dressed in black.

This article was originally published by Sky.com. Read the original article here.

Analysis: David Moyes’s reputation enhanced by European success

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