UNOFFICIAL FORUM FOR THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

West Ham United recorded an impressive 2-0 victory away to VfL Borussia Monchengladbach, as Carlton Cole and Benni McCarthy fired Avram Grant’s side to victory in Germany.

Returning to the Hammers’ midfield, Kieron Dyer and Mark Noble partnered summer signing Thomas Hitzlsperger in the centre of the park, as the Upton Park outfit fielded a strong line-up in the Walstadion on Saturday.

West Ham enjoyed plenty of possession in the first half, with Luis Boa Morte testing goalkeeper Logan Bailly inside ten minutes after cutting inside from the left flank, but the Belgian stopper was equal to his effort.

But the Londoners were calling upon their own keeper before long, when Juan Arango fizzed a shot at 22-year-old Peter Kurucz on 20 minutes, and the Hungarian did well to keep hold of it in the wet conditions.

But it was Grant’s side would make the breakthrough on 33 minutes. After Hitzlsperger hit an inch-perfect cross-field pass to Freddy Sears, the young forward advanced down the right, jinking past a defender before whipping in a cross, which met by the head of Cole, to fire the Hammers in front.

Either side managed to affect the scoreboard further before the interval, and with the start of the second-half, Grant made five changes to his side, including Marek Stech for Kurucz, and McCarthy on for Cole.

And it was the South African forward who doubled their lead five minutes after the restart.
Noble picked out Julien Faubert on the right wing, and with the ball bouncing, he fired it in on the half-volley to the edge of the box where McCarthy had found space, and the former Porto hitman rolled back the years as he rifled an unstoppable volley into the top corner.

The Hammers continued to press for the majority of the half, but as they slipped into their expected pre-season slumber, the home side looked to snatch a goal of their own.
And VfL almost found it, when on 71 minutes, Elias Kachunga riffled an effort at goal, which Stech did well to parry.

The home side would have one more chance before the full-time whistle, but the Londoners held out for an impressive away win.

West Ham United: Kurucz (Stoch 46), Faubert, Gabbidon (Da Costa 46), Tomkins, Ilunga (Daprela 46), Dyer (Kovac 46), Noble, Hitzlsperger, Boa Morte, Sears, Cole (McCarthy 46)