WEST HAM UNITED 1 (Antonio 13)
BAYER LEVERKUSEN 1 (Frimpong 89)
Leverkusen win 3-1 on aggregate
Champions of Germany Bayer Leverkusen inflicted more misery on the English by seeing off West Ham, whose fans half-mockingly call themselves Champions of Europe after winning UEFA's most junior tournament last season.
Trailing 2-0 from last week's first leg in Germany, the Hammers were given hope when Michail Antonio scored in the 13th minute to make it 2-1 on aggregate. But David Moyes' men could not find another way past the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions, for whom substitute Jeremie Frimpong scored a late equaliser to make it 3-1 on aggregate.
Xabi Alonso and his players celebrated with their fans at the end of a stirring night at the London stadium, one in which an upset had looked possible during the first 45 minutes, when West Ham were by some margin the better side.
The one crumb of comfort they hung on to before kick-off was that Leverkusen would still be hungover from their weekend celebrations. Alonso had switched his personnel but it backfired in the first half as West Ham went after them ferociously and reduced the deficit inside 13 minutes.
Odilon Kossounou was having a shocker, getting booked in the fifth minute for fouling James Ward-Prowse after miscontrolling the ball, and then playing a big part in Antonio's opening goal. The big Ivorian defender played a sloppy pass forward that was cut out by Edson Alvarez, who swept to Jarrod Bowen on the right. The England forward exchanged passes with Vladimir Coufal before curling in a cross from the right that allowed Antonio to get in front of Kossounou and power a header into the net. Home supporters erupted in delight, while Alonso remonstrated with his
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