Premier League GW28 - West Ham vs Burnley

West Ham vs Burnley | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

In a match marred by rain at the London Stadium, West Ham and Burnley produced an intense emotional rollercoaster that ended in a thrilling 2-2 tie. The stakes were high, creating a heated match between a team fighting to avoid relegation and another with hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.

Line ups:

WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Alphonse Areola; Vladimir Coufal, Nayef Aguerd, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Aaron Cresswell; Kalvin Phillips, Tomas Soucek; Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse, Lucas Paqueta; Jarrod Bowen

SUBS: Lukasz Fabianski, Angelo Ogbonna, Ben Johnson, Danny Ings, Divin Mubama, Edson Álvarez, George Earthy, Kurt Zouma, Michail Antonio

BURNLEY (4-4-2): James Trafford; Lorenz Assignon, Maxime Esteve, Dara O'Shea, Charlie Taylor; Vitinho, Josh Cullen, Sander Berge, Wilson Odobert; Jacob Bruun Larsen, David Fofana

SUBS: Arijanet Muric, Hannes Delcroix, Jack Cork, Jay Rodriguez, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Josh Brownhill, Manuel Benson, Mike Tresor, Zeki Amdouni

London Stadium | Picture Credits: SportsPro Media

Fofana scored a goal and gave Burnley a 0-1 lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

First Half: Fofana's Thunderous Opener and Mavropanos' Misfortune:

Burnley entered the match with such intensity that it took West Ham by surprise.

Burnley took the lead when Fofana struck from 25 yards with a fantastic strike that nestled the ball into the top-right corner. A contender for goal of the month, Fofana's strike gave West Ham goalkeeper Areola no chance and ignited the match.

By the end of the first half, Burnley had increased their lead. Chaos broke out after Bruun Larsen's low ball crossed the face of the West Ham goal. Mavropanos was caught off guard and unintentionally sent the ball into his own net. Rain and damp conditions prevailed at London Stadium as Burnley's constant pressure paid off.

Burnley took advantage of West Ham's defensive errors and lethargic play to take a dominating 2-0 lead at the break. Mavropanos' own goal and Fofana's powerful strike created a dire image for the Hammers, who were in desperate need of a comeback.

Second Half: West Ham's Spirited Comeback:

West Ham made a valiant comeback in the second half, adding to the drama soaked in rain.

There was little delay for West Ham to reduce the lead. Burnley made a mistake on defense, which gave Paqueta a chance. Seizing the opportunity, the Brazilian nicked the ball off O'Shea and expertly sent it beyond Trafford. It was suddenly all systems go!

When Ings scored, West Ham believed they had tied the score, but VAR analysis proved otherwise. Antonio's build-up was flagged offside, which prevented Ings from making an attempt. With a sigh of relief, Burnley held onto their precarious advantage.

West Ham's perseverance paid off when Ings received atonement. The attacker leveled the game at 2-2 after a deflected cross went into his path. He volleyed past Trafford with incredible touch and skill. The London Stadium burst into cheers.

In an incredible final, West Ham came dangerously close to winning. Once again demonstrating his menace, Ings hit a volley that shook the bar. As West Ham persisted in their pursuit of a game-winning goal, the home audience held its breath.

Refusing to give up, Burnley tried a late counterattack. Brownhill had a fantastic opportunity to give the visitors a thrilling victory, but he missed the mark with a shot straight at Areola. At the end of the game, both sides were left wondering what might have been.

When the final whistle blew, the match finished in an exciting 2-2 draw. West Ham's second-half comeback, led by the talent of Ings, saved a point. On the other hand, Burnley thought that after a dominant first half, they had wasted a chance. The shared points did little to ease the concerns of either team, with Burnley eyeing a league return and West Ham expecting their obligations in the Europa League.

A Tale of Two Halves:

The match told a story of two very different halves, perfectly capturing the unpredictable nature of football. An incredible spectacle was produced by West Ham's valiant comeback and Burnley's early domination. Both teams emerged from the game with a point, with Burnley looking to repeat their first-half performance in future league games and West Ham focusing on their hopes of qualifying for Europe.

Paqueta scored a goal and broke the deadlock for West Ham | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Ings scored a late goal for West Ham which levelled the game to 2-2 | Picture Credits: Premier League Website