Ibrahim Oladamola
West Ham booked their second European semi-final in as many years after coming from behind to seal a stunning 5-2 aggregate win over Gent at a rocking London Stadium on Thursday night.
Should the Hammers go on to lift the trophy in Prague on June 7, Declan Rice would become only the third club captain to win silverware after Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds – and it was his stunning solo goal for which this quarter-final second leg will be remembered.
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By then, West Ham had wrestled control of the tie with Michail Antonio’s firm header (37) and Lucas Paqueta’s nerveless spot-kick (55) cancelling out Hugo Cuypers’ deserved first-half opener for the visitors (26).
But it was Rice’s stupendous run and finish, leaving Gent defenders in his wake, which will forever be etched in West Ham folklore if he leads his side onto lifting the trophy in June.
“It was a fabulous goal,” Moyes said. “An individual, Roy of the Rovers goal. He is some player with great ability, and that goal just summed him up tonight.
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“He’s got a good personality, but he can show his personality a bit more and other aspects of his game. Some people think it’s not there, but let me tell you it’s there.”
