NIGERIA’S EMMANUEL EMENIKE and France’s Dimitri Payet both scored twice as West Ham came from a goal behind to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 5-1 win at second-tier strugglers Blackburn Rovers today.
Rovers took the lead through Ben Marshall in the 20th minute but it only took visitors West Ham six minutes to draw level courtesy of Victor Moses.
And before half-time West Ham, bidding to reach their first FA Cup final since losing the 2006 showpiece match to Liverpool, were in front through Payet.
Blackburn were reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Chris Taylor was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Emenike secured victory for the Hammers by making it 3-1 in the 64th minute at Ewood Park before scoring his second five minutes from time.
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The forward, on loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce, twice almost had a hat-trick on his first West Ham start, a shot coming back off the post before another effort was ruled out for offside in stoppage time.
But in the second minute of added-on time, the influential Payet weaved his way through the Rovers’ defence before shooting home to make it 5-1.
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“It was a tough first 25 minutes,” West Ham midfielder Mark Noble told BT Sport. “But when we got hold of the game we got back in it with a couple of bits of magic.”
Rovers manager Paul Lambert added: “I thought for 55 mins we were very good and well in the game. Their first goal I thought Jason Steele should save. The sending off kills us. It opens the game up. It’s hard enough against 11 let alone 10.”
Blackburn, faltering towards the bottom of the Championship, went ahead when, after Elliot Bennett’s corner was cleared, full-back Marshall cut back on his left foot and found the bottom corner with a well-struck shot.
But it did not take long for West Ham to draw level when Nigeria winger Moses let fly from 20 yards out as the Rovers defence backed off.
And in the 36th minute the Hammers took the lead when Payet’s 25-yard curling free-kick went up and over Blackburn’s defensive wall before beating the outstretched right hand of Rovers keeper Steele.
At 2-1 the match was still in the balance, but Emenike put the tie beyond Rovers’ reach when, after Steele had denied Michail Antonio, Moses fed Cheikhou Kouyate, whose ball across the box gave the striker an easy close-range finish.
Dimitri Payet scored two goals against Blackburn. PA Wire / Press Association Images
PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
West Ham had to play the final 15 minutes a man down after Mali midfielder Kouyate was shown a straight red card for a foul just outside the box on Adam Henley.
But it made little difference, Emenike scoring his second goal and West Ham’s fourth five minutes from time after more good work by Payet.
Nigerian striker bags brace in outstanding first start for West Ham
NIGERIA’S EMMANUEL EMENIKE and France’s Dimitri Payet both scored twice as West Ham came from a goal behind to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 5-1 win at second-tier strugglers Blackburn Rovers today.
Rovers took the lead through Ben Marshall in the 20th minute but it only took visitors West Ham six minutes to draw level courtesy of Victor Moses.
And before half-time West Ham, bidding to reach their first FA Cup final since losing the 2006 showpiece match to Liverpool, were in front through Payet.
Blackburn were reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Chris Taylor was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Emenike secured victory for the Hammers by making it 3-1 in the 64th minute at Ewood Park before scoring his second five minutes from time.
https://streamable.com/f1g4
The forward, on loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce, twice almost had a hat-trick on his first West Ham start, a shot coming back off the post before another effort was ruled out for offside in stoppage time.
But in the second minute of added-on time, the influential Payet weaved his way through the Rovers’ defence before shooting home to make it 5-1.
https://streamable.com/k8or
“It was a tough first 25 minutes,” West Ham midfielder Mark Noble told BT Sport. “But when we got hold of the game we got back in it with a couple of bits of magic.”
Rovers manager Paul Lambert added: “I thought for 55 mins we were very good and well in the game. Their first goal I thought Jason Steele should save. The sending off kills us. It opens the game up. It’s hard enough against 11 let alone 10.”
Blackburn, faltering towards the bottom of the Championship, went ahead when, after Elliot Bennett’s corner was cleared, full-back Marshall cut back on his left foot and found the bottom corner with a well-struck shot.
But it did not take long for West Ham to draw level when Nigeria winger Moses let fly from 20 yards out as the Rovers defence backed off.
And in the 36th minute the Hammers took the lead when Payet’s 25-yard curling free-kick went up and over Blackburn’s defensive wall before beating the outstretched right hand of Rovers keeper Steele.
At 2-1 the match was still in the balance, but Emenike put the tie beyond Rovers’ reach when, after Steele had denied Michail Antonio, Moses fed Cheikhou Kouyate, whose ball across the box gave the striker an easy close-range finish.
West Ham had to play the final 15 minutes a man down after Mali midfielder Kouyate was shown a straight red card for a foul just outside the box on Adam Henley.
But it made little difference, Emenike scoring his second goal and West Ham’s fourth five minutes from time after more good work by Payet.
- © AFP 2016
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Blackburn Rovers FA Cup Dimitri Payet Emmanuel Emenike Soccer Star In the Making West Ham