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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Malik Ouzia

West Ham player ratings vs Gent: Ben Johnson twisted inside and out while Manuel Lanzini fails to make case

West Ham drew with Gent in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final on Thursday night.

Danny Ings had put the away side into the lead with a simple tap-in but the Hammers ceded control and saw Hugo Cuypers round off a brilliant team move to draw the home side level.

The two sides will meet again in east London next week to decide a place in the final four.

Here’s how David Moyes’s side rated at the Ghelamco Arena...

Alphonse Areola 6

Beaten by the power of Cuypers’ shot and, for all Gent’s pressure, did not have many saves to make.

Ben Johnson 4

Made a couple of important blocks early on but tame defending as Cuypers waltzed past to score. Twisted inside out by Orban.

Difficult night: Ben Johnson struggled against Gift Orban (REUTERS)

Angelo Ogbonna 4

Appeared to be left spitting blood after a crunching fall. Nutmegged in build-up to Gent leveller. Booked.

Nayef Aguerd 6

Had opener disallowed for handball. One fine headed clearance probably saved a second Gent goal.

Vladimir Coufal 6

Brilliant quick thinking with throw-in to create opener. Booked.

Declan Rice 6

A few vital bits of covering. Visibly frustrated by pernickety refereeing.

Flynn Downes 6

Extremely unlucky to be booked early on after making two decent tackles. Trod a fine line well after that, keeping usual intensity.

Manuel Lanzini 4

Handed a rare start but did nothing to suggest he deserves more of them.

Lanzini could not impress during a rare start for West Ham (Action Images via Reuters)

Jarrod Bowen 6

Alive to set up Ings as Gent backline slept. Should have done better after being played in by Lucas Paqueta.

Danny Ings 6

Looked isolated for large parts but tapped home his first European goal at the back post having been typically alert. Only lasted an hour.

Substitutes

Michail Antonio (Ings 61’) 6

More involved than Ings but without much reward. Curled straight at ‘keeper from Paqueta pass.

Said Benrahma (Lanzini 61’) 5

Lucas Paqueta (Downes 74’) 6

Played a brilliant pass in behind for Bowen within minutes of his arrival.

Aaron Cresswell (Emerson 88’) N/A

Unused: Fabianski, Anang, Zouma, Kehrer, Fornals, Soucek, Cornet, Mubama

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