Albion suffer extra-time defeat to West Ham

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Under-21s are out of the Premier League International Cup after a narrow defeat on Friday.

Bruce Talbot

2024-02-23T21:40:00Z

Cameron Peupion put Albion in front in the first half against West Ham.

Albion bowed out of the Premier League International Cup at the quarter-final stage after they conceded an extra-time goal to go down 2-1 to West Ham.

The visitors dominated the first half and should have added to Cameron Peupion’s well-taken goal on 18 minutes. West Ham responded and levelled when Ollie Scarles scored from a free-kick midway through the second half.

Both sides had further chances but it was West Ham skipper Lewis Orford who sealed their place in the semis with a header seven minutes from the end of extra time.

Albion fielded a strong side with Kamari Doyle making his first start as one of four changes from the team beaten 4-3 by Stoke City in PL2 on Monday.

And they took control early on. Luca Barrington was denied by the woodwork in the ninth minute after Doyle and Jacob Slater combined down the left. Slater’s cross was missed by Mark O’Mahony but Luca Barrington made a decent connection with his volley but couldn’t direct it under the bar.

Luca Barrington hit the bar with a first-half volley.

Albion were playing some lovely stuff with Doyle prominent in a central role just off O’Mahony although it was a long ball that led to the opener on 18 minutes. Leigh Kavanagh spotted Peupion’s run and played him in with a superb pass and the Australian didn’t have to break stride as he advanced into the box and steered a low shot into the far corner.

Doyle’s volley was blocked after Peupion combined with Odel Offiah down the right and Albion ought to have doubled their lead five minutes before the break when the normally reliable O’Mahony fired wide from three yards after Doyle’s perfect pass from the left created a chance which the Irishman should have buried.

Doyle made way for Louis Flower at the break and Albion couldn’t rediscover their first-half fluency. It still took 67 minutes before Killian Cahill was tested when he made two saves inside a minute diving to his left to keep out shots from Divin Mubama and George Earthy.

However, West Ham levelled four minutes later when Scarles curled a low free-kick from inside the D into the bottom left-hand corner, giving Cahill no chance thanks to the accuracy and power of the strike.

Killian Cahill made some important saves, particularly in the second half, against West Ham.

O’Mahony headed wide from a tempting cross by sub Joe Knight as Albion responded positively and looked the team more likely to win it in 90 minutes, but extra time it was.

Regan Clayton struck the outside of the post for the Hammers in the best chance in the first half of extra time while Caylan Vickers drilled a shot inches wide after good work by fellow sub Josh Duffus.

But it was the hosts who won it with seven minutes to go when Orford continued his run after finding Junior Robinson overlapping down the right and met his cross with a downward header into the corner.

Albion U21s: Cahill, Offiah (Nilsson 105), Slater, Kavanagh (McConville 105), Atom, Chouchane, Peupion (Duffus 88), Mullins (Knight 76), O'Mahony, Doyle (Flower 45), Barrington (Vickers 66).