Calvert-Lewin strike dents Hammers’ Champions League bid

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Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first-half strike provided a blow to West Ham’s Champions League hopes whilst boosting Everton’s own aim of European qualification.

An early succession of Everton corners signalled concern in the West Ham penalty area. Columbian centre-back Yerry Mina often the target of Gylfi Sigurdsson’s deliveries.

The opening 20 minutes of the fixture failed to fashion any chances of note. Richarlison enjoyed success against Issa Diop but the Brazilian’s efforts to present an opportunity were firmly denied by a sturdy West Ham defence.

A tense encounter needed a goal and Dominic Calvert-Lewin provided the opener in the 24th minute. Everton centre-back Ben Godfrey progressed the ball out of defence before finding the forward. The 24-year-old collected the pass and finished low across Lukasz Fabianski for his 16th Premier League goal of the season.

Richarlison’s success against Diop continued later in the first-half after latching onto a Calvert-Lewin flick-on, the Brazilian’s effort was saved by Fabianski. Claims the Polish goalkeeper fouled Richarlison from the rebound were swiftly waved away by referee Stuart Attwell, as were the claims that Michail Antonio was fouled after a challenge in the Everton penalty area earlier in the half.

Manuel Lanzini was substituted through injury before half-time and was replaced by Jarrod Bowen as the visitors had the lead at the break.

Aaron Cresswell added to the injury list for West Ham earlier in the second-half after the English full-back failed to recover from a poor tackle from Godfrey to continue.

The 31-year-old has regularly been a source of assists for the Hammers this season and his cross had led to a chance for Pablo Fornals to shoot from the edge of the area, the effort well blocked by the Toffees defence.

As the second-half progressed, West Ham began to get more numbers into attacking areas, chasing a result to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

Just after the hour mark, Vladimir Coufal was presented with an opportunity to fire the Hammers back level. After neat work around the Everton box, Fornals found the pass wide to the arriving full-back, who took a touch before firing across Jordan Pickford.

The strike cannoned back off the post and with Bowen arriving, the former Hull City winger was unable to sort his feet and find a finish, much to the frustrations of those in attendance at the London Stadium.

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Frustration was beginning to show for West Ham as the Everton defence remained strong. Calvert-Lewin failed to find Richarlison on an Everton counter, the forward instead rolled the ball into the path of Seamus Coleman who failed to get a clean connection under pressure.

Tomas Soucek’s header looped harmlessly over Pickford’s bar as the game entered its final 10 minutes, David Moyes’ men pushing on searching for an equaliser.

Within 30 seconds of his introduction, Joshua King almost doubled Everton’s lead and secured all three points for Carlo Ancelotti’s men. A Toffees break resulted in Sigurdsson rolling Calvert-Lewin through and after drawing Fabianski off his line and clipping a cross to King at the far post, only a brilliant clearance off the line from Craig Dawson kept the deficit at one.

Coufal’s scuffed effort from just inside the area was the only chance to remain for the Hammers as Everton preserved their clean sheet to take all three points in East London.

The defeat leaves West Ham five points adrift of fourth-placed Leicester and their hopes of Champions League football unlikely. Everton remain eighth but could climb level with West Ham on 58 points in fifth should they win their game in hand.

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