West Ham also missed the opportunity to qualify for Champions League through the Europa League route after losing to Frankfurt
By Kehinde Okeowo
West Ham missed the opportunity to qualify for Champions League after they were beaten 1-0 in the Europa League semi-final by Bundesliga outfit, Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Londoners can no longer participate in the elite European competition via the league as they are currently 11 points away from Arsenal in fourth with 9 more points to play for.
Therefore, the Hammers came into the game against Frankfurt,
knowing that only a convincing win can take them to the finals having lost 1-2 at the London Stadium.
The visitors, however, began on a bad note as defender Aaron Cresswell and West Ham boss, David Moyes were both sent off on a heated night in Germany.
ALSO READ: Thierry Henry explains why he ignored Liverpools’ Van Dijk
West Ham started brightly until Cresswell pulled down Jens Petter Hauge, who would have been through on goal and was subsequently sent off, after a video assistant referee review.
The German side then went ahead in the 26th minute when the unmarked Rafael Borre hammered home from Ansgar Knauff’s low cross.
The night got even worse for West Ham when a frustrated Moyes booted the ball at a ball boy and was shown a straight red card.
West Ham had a few chances in the closing stages with Michail Antonio forcing a save from Kevin Trapp and Tomas Soucek heading wide.
At full-time, thousands of Frankfurt fans streamed on to the pitch to celebrate their first European final since 1980.
Frankfurt with the win will face Scottish side Rangers who defeated Leipzig in the other semi-final in the final on Wednesday, 18 May in Seville.
