Sports / Soccer
Fellaini snatches a late equaliser to pile agony on West Ham
22 Jan 2011 at 23:09hrs | Views
An injury-time equaliser from Marouane Fellaini denied West Ham the opportunity to move out of the relegation zone on Saturday as Everton twice came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw.
After a tumultuous week of speculation concerning the future of manager Avram Grant, West Ham appeared to be heading for a badly needed win when Frederic Piquionne fired them 2-1 up on 84 minutes.
Piquionne's over-exuberant goal celebrations with the travelling support saw him pick up a second yellow card and a sending off however, leaving West Ham down to 10-men as Everton launched a furious late assault.
A minute into injury time, and the home side's extra man advantage paid off, Fellaini picking his way through the Hammers' defence to score a dramatic equaliser that left West Ham and Grant shattered.
For long periods the Hammers appeared to be on course for an unlikely victory, having deservedly taken the lead on 27 minutes.
A superb run down the flank by Luis Boa Morte stretched Everton's defence and the Portuguese winger cutback unselfishly for Jonathan Spector who calmly tucked away the finish to make it 1-0.
Everton nerves were jangling again midway through the half when Piquionne's header struck the woodwork and rolled across the face of goal.
And the Toffees had the referee's assistant to thank shortly before half-time when Boa Morte was ruled off-side after stroking the ball past Everton keeper Tim Howard.
Everton manager David Moyes tweaked his attack at half-time, replacing Jermaine Beckford with Louis Saha.
Yet time and again Everton attacks foundered on a solid West Ham defence, with loan signing Wayne Bridge increasingly influential.
Everton drew level with less than 15 minutes to go as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov beat goalkeeper Rob Green with a wicked low shot.
Sensing West Ham's nervousness, Everton went for the kill, and the Hammers had Green to thank for keeping them in the match, the England keeper pulling off some superb saves to thwart the home side.
Yet just when it seemed that Everton would find a goal, the home side were rocked by West Ham's second, Piquionne jumping to meet a cross from Bridge.
But West Ham's hopes of a vital win were shattered in injury time when Fellaini popped up to claim Everton's draw.
After a tumultuous week of speculation concerning the future of manager Avram Grant, West Ham appeared to be heading for a badly needed win when Frederic Piquionne fired them 2-1 up on 84 minutes.
Piquionne's over-exuberant goal celebrations with the travelling support saw him pick up a second yellow card and a sending off however, leaving West Ham down to 10-men as Everton launched a furious late assault.
A minute into injury time, and the home side's extra man advantage paid off, Fellaini picking his way through the Hammers' defence to score a dramatic equaliser that left West Ham and Grant shattered.
For long periods the Hammers appeared to be on course for an unlikely victory, having deservedly taken the lead on 27 minutes.
A superb run down the flank by Luis Boa Morte stretched Everton's defence and the Portuguese winger cutback unselfishly for Jonathan Spector who calmly tucked away the finish to make it 1-0.
Everton nerves were jangling again midway through the half when Piquionne's header struck the woodwork and rolled across the face of goal.
And the Toffees had the referee's assistant to thank shortly before half-time when Boa Morte was ruled off-side after stroking the ball past Everton keeper Tim Howard.
Everton manager David Moyes tweaked his attack at half-time, replacing Jermaine Beckford with Louis Saha.
Yet time and again Everton attacks foundered on a solid West Ham defence, with loan signing Wayne Bridge increasingly influential.
Everton drew level with less than 15 minutes to go as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov beat goalkeeper Rob Green with a wicked low shot.
Sensing West Ham's nervousness, Everton went for the kill, and the Hammers had Green to thank for keeping them in the match, the England keeper pulling off some superb saves to thwart the home side.
Yet just when it seemed that Everton would find a goal, the home side were rocked by West Ham's second, Piquionne jumping to meet a cross from Bridge.
But West Ham's hopes of a vital win were shattered in injury time when Fellaini popped up to claim Everton's draw.
Source - Byo24NEWS
