Gianluca Scamacca scored his first West Ham goal as the Hammers established a commanding 3-1 lead over Viborg in the first leg of their Europa Conference League play-off clash.
Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio were also on target for the hosts at the London Stadium, with Jakob Bonde's header providing a consolation for the visitors ahead of next week's return leg in Denmark.
The Hammers' fortunes were overseen by first-team coach Billy McKinlay, with manager David Moyes serving a touchline ban following his red card in last season's Europa League semi-final defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt.
Vladimir Coufal wore the captain's armband in the absence of Declan Rice and Aaron Cresswell – both also serving continental suspensions – but the hosts took the lead in the 24th minute; Scamacca rising to head home Maxwel Cornet's inviting cross.
They doubled their lead after 64 minutes as Bowen collected a loose ball, before brilliantly drilling low past Lucas Lund from 30 yards. The visitors halved the deficit five minutes later when Bonde arrived at the far post to nod home Christian Sorensen's centre.
But substitutes Antonio and Said Benrahma combined to restore the hosts' two-goal buffer in the 78th minute. Benrahma embarked on a jinking run from the left flank, before squaring for Antonio to tuck into the empty net.
Carl Starfelt hails Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou as future speculation continues
Carl Starfelt believes he has taken “very big steps” under the tutelage of Ange Postecoglou as speculation about the Celtic boss’ future continues apace.
The backdrop to the Hoops’ 3-1 Scottish Cup final win over Championship side Inverness at Hampden Park on Saturday was the link between the former Australia manager and Tottenham.
Goals from Kyogo Furuhashi, Liel Abada and Jota rendered Dan MacKay’s header a consolation as the Parkhead club completed their eighth domestic treble – a world record.
Fans hero Postecoglou arrived at Parkhead in June 2021 and brought in the Sweden centre-back from Rubin Kazan the following month and Starfelt – who insisted that he had no knowledge of what his boss intended to do – has enjoyed his development as a player in that period.
He said: “Obviously, he brought me here. I was one of the first signings he made and he has given me a lot of trust.
“He has been really good for me and my development, also the way he wants centre-backs to play is really developing.
“I feel that I have been taking very big steps and also he demands the very best from every player which makes us better.
“So, obviously he has been really good for me and a lot of the players.”
Starfelt acknowledged the widespread influence of Postecoglou at Celtic, where he arrived after the league title had decanted to Rangers, wresting it back to the east end of Glasgow at the first attempt.
He said: “It is really important for the club – everyone can see that.
“He came in when it was a really tough period and has done this rebuild. He is just a really good manager and everyone knows he is really important for the club but we will have to wait and see what happens, I don’t know.
“After the game he said that he was really proud of everyone.
“He knows how hard we have been working all season, not only in the games, coming into training every day with 100 per cent focus, which is what is needed to achieve this kind of thing as it is not easy. It took a lot to get us to this place.
“We have been working really hard all season. I am really happy, delighted, happy and proud of the boys and the staff.
“We worked so hard and the treble is not an easy thing to achieve so I’m really happy.”
Rob Page: Gareth Bale ‘enjoying retirement’ and won’t join Wales coaching staff
Gareth Bale will not be joining the Wales coaching staff, manager Rob Page has said.
Former captain Bale ended his stellar playing career in January with a farewell statement announcing he was “stepping down but not stepping away” from the Wales environment.
Page said he wanted to keep the former Real Madrid forward, his country’s most capped men’s player with 111 appearances, involved in some capacity but the Wales manager has now confirmed that will not be in a coaching role.
“I spoke to Gareth on Monday and I’m due to have another conversation with him this week,” Page said ahead of this month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.
“Nothing particular or specific, just a general. He’s open to conversations and he wants to play a part in the future, but not from a coaching point of view.
“For me to have another voice from the outside watching things is beneficial. He’s enjoying his retirement.”
Bale’s former team-mate Chris Gunter joined Page’s backroom staff ahead of two qualifiers in March, from which Wales made a positive start to Euro 2024 qualifying by picking up four points against Croatia and Latvia.
Page said: “Gunts has come up and he’s a first-class lad. He’s doing his coaching badges, he’s great around the changing room and the lads love him to bits. He’s doing really well at the minute.
“We’ve just had a four-day camp with the under-21s and our EFL players and we’ve given him more responsibility with regards to the training sessions.
“The culture in the changing room is the most important thing. When I had him as a player, he was key to that.
“He was never afraid to come to talk to the coaching staff and I still want that. He drives that for us.”
Wales head to Portugal this week to prepare for their Euro 2024 double-header, with three key players nursing injuries.
Skipper Aaron Ramsey (calf), goalkeeper Danny Ward (dislocated finger) and Neco Williams (broken jaw) missed the final games of the season for their respective clubs.
But Page has been encouraged by his squad playing more Premier League minutes this term, a top-flight total of 251 appearances being 135 more than the previous campaign and the most since the 2016-17 season.
He said: “You want your best players playing at the top level because that will help us to compete against the top teams in Europe and the rest of the world.
“We need our players being exposed to the top teams, whether that’s in the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga or Serie A.
“Thankfully, we now have more of our Welsh players playing at the top level.”
Billy Dodds proud of his Caley Thistle side despite final setback
Inverness manager Billy Dodds was proud of his players after their Hampden efforts against treble-winning Celtic.
Caley Thistle restricted the champions to few chances before Kyogo Furuhashi swept home a 38th-minute winner in the Scottish Cup final.
Half-time sub Liel Abada doubled Celtic’s lead but Inverness fought back through Dan MacKay before Jota sealed a 3-1 win in stoppage-time.
“Everything a losing manager feels, you are disappointed, but proud at the same time.
“There’ s a massive gulf between the teams but I thought we asked them questions at certain times, I really did.
“We lost goals at bad times, because i was trying to get to half-time, had a plan in my head, then we lost a goal when I was going to make an attacking substitution.
“I love working with this group and after being idle for five weeks or so, I thought they put on a hell of a performance.
“I am absolutely thrilled by the way they dug in and what they gave me in terms of effort and determination.”
Dodds added: “Every manager talks about character and all that we have and we certainly did to come back into the game.
“Wallace Duffy whips in a great ball and it’s a brilliant finish from Dan MacKay.”
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