Crushing Leeds blow as Rice involved in stunning late West Ham winner
Michail Antonio scored a dramatic late winner in the second half as West Ham came from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 at Elland Road.
Raphinha opened the scoring for Leeds inside 20 minutes, following earlier chances for both sides.
After a blistering start to the second half, West Ham had the ball in the net before VAR ruled the effort out. However, the visitors kept pushing and England international Declan Rice was involved in a 90th-minute winner.
West Ham had the better of the early exchanges, Said Benhrama going close with a long-range effort.
What’s more, the Algerian’s dribbling let him find Antonio, who had a shot saved.
However, Whites goalkeeper Illan Meslier did not stop there. He punched clear the subsequent corner, before tipping Benrahma’s shot round his post.
Nevertheless, Leeds settled and scored the opener after 19 minutes. Rodrigo picked the ball up following Tomas Soucek’s poor touch, knocked it to Mateusz Klich who then teed up Raphinha.
The Brazilian made no mistake with a left-footed curler into the bottom corner.
West Ham responded with a quick set-piece, before Raphinha almost made it 2-0. He struck the post from a similar position to where he struck his opener.
The Hammers had the last laugh of the first half, Meslier saving Pablo Fornals’ shot one-on-one.
West Ham respond to ruled-out goal
After a fast start to the second half, West Ham thought they had an equaliser.
Soucek thought he had amended for his earlier error by scoring amid a scramble, but referee Kevin Friend ruled the goal out.
Instead, he gave Antonio a yellow card for an elbow on Meslier.
Soucek had another chance, but it was Jarrod Bowen who helped get the equaliser on 67 minutes. The winger’s shot went in on off Junior Firpo after a double deflection.
The visitors kept pushing for a winner, with Benrahma firing a free-kick over the top. Up the other end, Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski held on to a Rodrigo effort.
Inside the final 10 minutes, the game was wide open, with loose passes a sign of both sides trying hard to find a winner.
West Ham were the successful side. Declan Rice drove forward before playing in Antonio, who beat Jamie Shackleton and netted a dramatic late winner.
The result leaves Leeds winless and with three points from six games. West Ham, meanwhile, moved on to 11 points.
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