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Europa League | Third Qualifying Round
Aug 4, 2016 at 7.45pm UK
 
Domzale

3-0

Kouyate (8', 25'), Feghouli (81')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Cheikhou Kouyate brace helps West Ham United through on Olympic Stadium bow

Cheikhou Kouyate scores his first career brace on a memorable night for West Ham United, as they beat Domzale 4-2 on aggregate to progress through in the Europa League.

West Ham United have defeated NK Domzale 3-0 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate to advance into the playoff stage of the Europa League for the first time.

The Hammers, who trailed 2-1 from last week's first leg, had a Cheikhou Kouyate brace to thank for putting them on course for a victory in their opening match at their new Olympic Stadium home.

Sofiane Feghouli made sure of the win late on against the Slovenian minnows with a goal of his own, meaning a first success in five European games for United who crashed out at this stage 12 months ago.

Domzale headed into the match on the back of a solid run of form that had seen them suffer just one defeat in their last 15 outings, but struggled to put their opponents under any real pressure throughout.

United were well on their way to ending their own European hoodoo just eight minutes in when Sam Byram's rather scuffed cross found its way past Axel Maraval via Kouyate's deft touch.

Antonio Valencia played a key part in that goal with his work out on the left, and he came close to adding a second when finding the target with his shot from the edge of the box.

The visitors were certainly not willing to simply sit back, knowing that they required a goal to keep their hopes of progression alive, but those hopes took a big dent when Kouyate doubled his personal tally.

A Michail Antonio cross from the right was unselfishly chested down by Andy Carroll into the path of his teammate to coolly dispatch past Maraval - his first brace in 321 games as a professional.

With winger Matic Crnic looking a shadow of the player he was in last week's first leg, it was left to leading marksman Antonio Mance to cause United problems and he did just that when looping a header on target.

Darren Randolph, stepping in for Adrian this evening, had to quickly back-peddle but was able to pluck the ball out of the air to deny Domzale from their only real attempt on goal.

It should have been game over before the interval when a quick counter ended with Antonio squaring for Kouyate, but the final ball just lacked the pace required for the midfielder to tap home at the back post.

Antonio also saw a side-footed volley flash narrowly wide of goal as the Hammers continued to go in search of a third of the night, though the chances dried up in the opening quarter of the second half.

Slaven Bilic, who was unable to rotate his squad with the tie still largely in the balance, was given a scare on the hour when key defender Winston Reid picked up an injury that left him hobbling awkwardly.

The central defender, partnering Reece Oxford this evening, was fit enough to continue and almost converted from an uncleared free kick soon after.

West Ham were still having to defend, with Crnic curling a good effort on target for Randolph to push aside, but the Londoners were also creating openings of their own against a tiring opposition defence.

Feghouli sent two shots narrowly wide of goal on his home debut, while Valencia was played through only to get his effort all wrong when up against Maraval.

There was to be a debut goal for Feghouli in the final 10 minutes, however, as he took down a Mark Noble pass and rifled the ball into the back of the net to send United through on an historic night for the club.

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West Ham United's Senegalese midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate celebrates in front of supporters after scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Bournemouth at The Boleyn Ground in Upton Park, East Lo
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