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Monday 23 Dec 2024
LOCAL EDITION
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LOCAL EDITION
West Ham's players celebrate after the Conference League second leg semifinal soccer match between AZ Alkmaar and West Ham United at the AZ stadium in Alkmaar, Netherlands, Thursday, May 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
West Ham’s win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League semifinals was marred by crowd trouble after some Dutch supporters tried to storm into the area reserved for friends and family of the visiting players behind the dugout after the final whistle.
West Ham players including Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma, Aaron Cresswell and Flynn Downes climbed over the advertising boards in a bid to stop the trouble.
West Ham manager David Moyes, whose 87-year-old father David Sr. was at the match, said he had been worried about his family’s safety, although there were no reports of injuries.
“I can’t explain what happened and why it happened,” Moyes said. “I can only say the players were involved because it was the family section and most of their family and friends were in there. That was probably the reason for the reaction.”
West Ham advanced 3-1 on aggregate after substitute Pablo Fornals scored deep into stoppage time to secure a 1-0 win in the second leg. The Premier League club reached a European final for the first time in 47 years.
“What we don’t want to do is in any way blight the night because it certainly wasn’t West Ham supporters looking for trouble,” Moyes said. “Hopefully they’ll look into it.”
