Premier League: West Ham and Villa play out a tense draw

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 West Ham United 1 - 1 Aston Vila

Tomas Soucek came agonisingly close to securing a thrilling victory for West Ham, but fate had other plans as they had to settle for a single point against Aston Villa at London Stadium.

West Ham v Villa

In the dying moments of added time, Soucek believed he had clinched the win for the Hammers, connecting with James Ward-Prowse's free-kick. However, his jubilation was short-lived as VAR intervened, ruling out the goal due to a handball.

Aston Villa, vying for a spot in the Champions League, found their saving grace in Nicolo Zaniolo, who equalised in the 79th minute. With a precise finish, Zaniolo capitalised on Moussa Diaby's well-placed pass into the box, notching his second league goal for Villa.

Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024

Michail Antonio initially gave West Ham the lead with a splendid diving header, his first Premier League goal since August. However, his joy was tempered when a second goal was disallowed for handball early in the second half, following a VAR review.

Despite dominating the first half, West Ham couldn't maintain their lead, and Villa's relentless pursuit paid off with Zaniolo's strike.

For West Ham manager David Moyes, it was a familiar story of missed opportunities, as his team dropped points once again in a league match following European action.

Antonio's return to form after a lengthy injury layoff provided a glimmer of hope for West Ham fans, but ultimately, it wasn't enough to secure victory.

Meanwhile, Unai Emery's Villa missed an opportunity to widen the gap with Tottenham, settling for a draw after a lacklustre first half.

The best reaction to this match

Brian an Aston Villa fan, told us: "We didn't have control of the game in the first half. We were not able to impose our position and make progress. When they connected with their attacking players, they scored a goal. However, the team changed tactics in the second half and got chances to score. Eventually, we did. We still have a chance of getting in the Champions League next season. That would be an amazing success alongside winning the Europa Conference League."

Jamie, a West Ham fan, also gave his thoughts. He was happy with the performance and annoyed by the VAR intervention. He said: "I think the neutral football fans might have enjoyed the game, but for the West Ham supporters, it was a difficult afternoon. We had two goals disallowed by VAR, and although we didn't necessarily deserve to win, Aston Villa couldn't have complained too much had they lost as we gave them a tough match. Overall, it was a great game against a strong Birmingham side."

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