{"id":146871,"date":"2024-02-02T14:51:51","date_gmt":"2024-02-02T14:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/02\/02\/hammers-rescue-draw-after-phillips-error\/"},"modified":"2024-02-02T14:51:51","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T14:51:51","slug":"hammers-rescue-draw-after-phillips-error","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/02\/02\/hammers-rescue-draw-after-phillips-error\/","title":{"rendered":"Hammers rescue draw after Phillips error \u2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Kalvin Phillips endured a nightmare West Ham debut after gifting Bournemouth a goal with almost his first touch in claret and blue.<\/p>\n

The England midfielder, whose loan switch from Manchester City was arguably the most high-profile deal in this transfer window, inadvertently set up Dominic Solanke to score with less than three minutes gone.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for West Ham, a James Ward-Prowse penalty in the second-half was enough to secure a 1-1 draw.<\/p>\n

But Phillips, making a first Premier League start of the season having been reduced to less than a bit-part player at City, will not remember the opening moments of his debut fondly.<\/p>\n

Kurt Zouma\u2019s pass to him on the edge of the area was not great, admittedly, and Phillips was quickly closed down by Ryan Christie.<\/p>\n

The Cherries midfielder appeared to have got a touch as the ball rolled to Solanke, who was clearly offside as he completed the simplest of finishes.<\/p>\n

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We pick up a point thanks to James Ward-Prowse\u2019s penalty \u2692\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/WJHqYUXXaq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 West Ham United (@WestHam) February 1, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, a VAR check showed it was Phillips who had actually played the ball to Solanke, and the offside decision was duly overturned.<\/p>\n

It was Solanke\u2019s second goal against the Hammers this season following a late equaliser on the south coast in August \u2013 soon before West Ham failed in a big-money bid to sign the striker.<\/p>\n

The arrival of Phillips left boss David Moyes with a selection dilemma of which three of his four central midfielders should start.<\/p>\n

His answer was all of them, with Phillips alongside Edson Alvarez in the middle, Ward-Prowse stationed out on the left and, most curiously of all, Tomas Soucek lumbering around alongside Jarrod Bowen in attack.<\/p>\n

For 40 minutes it plainly did not work, with an understandably off-the-pace Phillips conceding cheap free-kicks and Bournemouth attacking whenever they pleased.<\/p>\n

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Pure instinct from @DomSolanke<\/a> \ud83d\udc4f pic.twitter.com\/fLzpBS5SbD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 AFC Bournemouth \ud83c\udf52 (@afcbournemouth) February 1, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Their best chance came when Alvarez gave the ball away to Christie, who found Solanke on the edge of the box.<\/p>\n

Solanke could have shot but instead squared the ball to Antoine Semenya, who was free on the right but drove too close to Alphonse Areola.<\/p>\n

It was a huge let-off for West Ham and they twice came close to equalising late in the first half, with Bowen glancing a Ward-Prowse delivery straight at Neto and Soucek heading Mohammed Kudus\u2019 cross wide.<\/p>\n

West Ham re-emerged with a slight reshuffle, Ward-Prowse now playing as the second striker, and they were thrown a lifeline when Kudus was clumsily brought down in the area by Lloyd Kelly.<\/p>\n

Referee Tim Robinson did not award the spot-kick on the pitch, but he had little choice once he had checked the replay.<\/p>\n

Ward-Prowse stepped up to blast the penalty down the middle as Neto dived right to earn a point for the hosts.<\/p>\n

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