West Ham 5-0 Freiburg (5-1 agg): Hammers blow Germans away to ease pressure on David Moyes and book third straight European quarter-final… as Mohammed Kudus scores WONDERGOAL after dribbling from inside his own half

If you can’t perform, don’t go on stage. Those were the words spoken by David Moyes to his West Ham players ahead of their biggest game of the season.

On a night when victory was the only option, his team rose to the occasion – and then some.

Two of West Ham’s key players – Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen – starred in the first act. It was then Aaron Cresswell, a man who has had to play more of an understudy role this season, who took center stage. Mohammed Kudus scored a solo goal worthy of a standing ovation before closing the show with a brilliant second.

Expectations have risen since West Ham qualified for the competition three years ago. Despite going into this second leg trailing 1–0, they were the favorites to beat SC Freiburg – the team was currently in eighth place in the Bundesliga.

But few could have anticipated a demolition as convincing as this.

Lucas Paqueta gave the Hammers a perfect start as he leveled the score

David Moyes and his West Ham side reached their third European quarter-final in a row

Moyes had said in 2021 that he wanted West Ham to become a big club in Europe and it has now been three European quarter-finals in three years. Even after an evening like that, he will still have doubters. But it’s hard to argue with those statistics.

This is also a victory of great importance for the Premier League, who are now in a stronger position to claim a fifth spot for next season’s Champions League.

The new format will allow for two ‘performance’ places to be won, which will be determined by the two countries with the best average performance in all European competitions this season.

Italy were top, with Germany in second place and England in third place going into last night’s match. The Hammers knocking out a German side could be hugely important in the long run.

Moyes made three changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Burnley on Sunday, with captain Kurt Zouma replacing Nayef Aguerd in defence, while Kalvin Phillips and James Ward-Prowse came off for Edson Alvarez and Michail Antonio.

Moyes knew his team needed a fast start and they got it. After forcing three corners in the first ten minutes, the fourth ended with the ball in the net.

Aaron Cresswell’s delivery was put through by Tomas Soucek and Paqueta was there to slot in and finish at the back post.

West Ham could have been 2-0 up shortly afterwards when Antonio cut in from the right and hit back for Mohammed Kudus, but the winger could only side-foot wide from close range.

But just after the half hour a second goal was scored. Coufal’s header was touched by Antonio to Bowen, who fended off a stiff challenge from Christian Gunter before firing a brilliant strike into the bottom right corner.

There was a danger that West Ham would be forced to sit back and protect what they had, but that idea was quashed when a third goal came in the 52nd minute.

Bowen’s cutback was only cleared as far as Cresswell, who was waiting on the edge of the penalty area. The left-back took one touch from his feet before drilling an arrow shot into the bottom right corner.

Jarrod Bowen drove in before sending his left foot into the bottom corner

Aaron Cresswell gave the hosts a good cushion early in the second half before Kudus sealed it

Kudus won the ball back in his own half and dribbled past three players before scoring

The fourth goal was undoubtedly the best of the evening. Kudus won the ball back just inside his own half, dribbling past three players before sending a clinical finish into the back of the net.

His second was almost as good, a rocket from the edge of the penalty area that left Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu without a chance.