LONDON (Reuters) -West Ham United held Newcastle United to a 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Sunday when Mohammed Kudus scored an 89th-minute equaliser to deny the visitors three points after Alexander Isak’s quick-fire double.
Isak scored twice in five minutes in the second half but just as Newcastle looked to have sealed the three points, substitute Kudus got the London Stadium roaring again when he scored his first Premier League goal to earn his side a draw.
West Ham are seventh in the table with 14 points from eight games, one point above Newcastle in eighth.
“A frustrating game for us. Probably a hangover from midweek (when Newcastle beat Paris St Germain in the Champions League). A really good response in the second half, but we’re frustrated not to get over the line,” manager Eddie Howe said.
“I think we did really well in the second half, showed great character to come back. We took control of the game, caused problems, created chances.”
West Ham scored in the eighth minute through Tomas Soucek when Emerson ran in behind the defence to receive a long ball and Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope strayed out of position in an attempt to close him down.
Pope misread the pass and Emerson’s touch allowed the left back to find Soucek for a simple tap-in into an empty net, the Czech’s third goal in as many starts.
But Newcastle were better in the second half and after Dan Burn had a header saved by Alphonse Areola, Isak beat him following a set-piece when the ball fell at the feet of the Swedish striker near the six-yard box.
Newcastle turned the game around with a second in quick succession when Kieran Trippier found space and expertly crossed the ball with a first-time effort straight into the path of Isak, who finished from close range.
HAT-TRICK OPPORTUNITY
Isak nearly completed his hat-trick when he went through on goal and rounded the keeper, but his shot from a tight angle came off the post before it was turned away for a corner by Nayef Aguerd who was scrambling back to cover.
“Isak’s hat-trick opportunity was probably the defining moment. He’s an outstanding player… He is unlucky not to score the third but they are the small margins,” Howe added.
David Moyes threw on Kudus for Soucek and with time running out, the Ghana midfielder delivered when he got on the end of Vladimir Coufal’s pass and fired in a low shot from the edge of the box.
West Ham nearly won it at the death when Jarrod Bowen had a shot parried away by Pope but Said Benrahma could not react in time to score from point-blank range.
“We didn’t start the second half well and after that we conceded from a set piece,” Soucek said.
“We were then disappointed that we conceded a second, but happy that we got a draw because it was important not to lose the game.”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ed Osmond)
