West Ham United maintained their impressive start to the season when they beat champions Manchester City 2-1 at Upton Park yesterday to consolidate their place in the top four of the Premier League.
The Hammers went ahead in the 21st minute, when Morgan Amalfitano was left unmarked at the far post and reacted quickest to a low, spinning cross from Enner Valencia to stab the ball in from close range with goalkeeper Joe Hart stranded.
They doubled their lead in the 75th minute when Diafra Sakho became the first West Ham player to score in six successive Premier League matches.
Photo: AFP
He rose to head powerfully at the goal, and although Hart scooped the ball clear, the goal decision review system proved it had crossed the line and the score stood.
However, within two minutes, City pulled one back with a superb goal from David Silva, who jinked his way through the West Ham defense to curl home past Adrian.
City should have scored before then, when Sergio Aguero hit the bar from close range after 61 minutes and Yaya Toure’s follow-up was saved by Adrian. Toure hit the bar again a minute before Sakho put the Hammers 2-0 up.
The defeat left City on 17 points from nine matches, five points behind leaders Chelsea, who play at Manchester United today. West Ham remained fourth on 16 points from their opening nine games.
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