West Ham United 1-1 Stoke City
Two giants of the English game took the headlines in a gripping battle at the London Stadium as West Ham fought back for a draw.
After 6-foot-7 Peter Crouch climbed off the bench to put Stoke ahead, there was live betting drama in the final minute of normal time when 6-foot-4 Andy Carroll hammered home the equaliser.
It’s a result that edges David Moyes’ team closer to safety but leaves the Potters in a perilous position, five points from safety and with the betting odds stacked against them.
In a tense battle, West Ham came out on the front foot with an explosive start but fizzled out as the first half unfolded. Virtually everything went through former Stoke man Marko Arnautovic, and he was a little unlucky not to score on 36 minutes after smashing his shot into Jack Butland’s face and away for a corner.
Stoke needed the points more and came out for the second half with purpose. Xherdan Shaqiri probed for an opening, but West Ham thought they’d gone ahead on 55 minutes when Arnautovic headed home only to be flagged offside. Then Edimilson Fernades thought he’d broken the deadlock for the Hammers, firing home from distance, but Arnautovic was adjudged to be interfering in an offside position again.
And it all looked like turning into a nightmare for the home fans when Peter Crouch was on the spot to poke home the opener after keeper Joe Hart spilled a shot, and that with just 11 minutes left on the clock.
But Carroll stepped up and fired his first-time shot beyond Butland into the corner to send the London Stadium into raptures. All smiles in the East End.
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