Manchester United suffered defeat at the hands of West Ham in the last ever game to be played at the iconic Boleyn Ground. This loss severely affects their chances to qualify for the Champions League next season with rivals Manchester City still 2 points ahead of them with one game left to play in the season.
In an emotionally charged fixture, Sakho opened the scoring for the Hammers early in the first half. The score remained 1-0 until Anthony Martial equalized for the visitors in the second half. Martial later went on to get his second of the night with a superb solo effort, sprinting 30 yards before making it 1-2, scoring from a tight angle.
The Hammers weren’t going to go down without a fight in front of their fans on such a momentous occasion. Antonio made it 2-2 with a superb header to beat De Gea. Then 4 minutes later, Winston Reid scored with another header for West Ham’s third of the night. With the last ever goal to be scored at the Boleyn Ground, the Irons won it in superb fashion, a fitting farewell to their legendary stadium.
Louis Van Gaal
Speaking on the result, United manager Louis Van Gaal was reported by Telegraph to having said that it was a mental blow for his players and they would have to give everything against Bournemouth. “We cannot give Man City a free trip to the Champions League. In the last match of the season we can still pass over Manchester City. They can lose and we can win. You can count, I think. In this League it happens lot. ”
Van Gaal said that his side had lost a game that they had to win and that this would have consequences. He said that they were disappointed because they were 2-1 ahead. “We changed the match in our favour in a fantastic way and then we lost because of set plays. I said before the match we tried to organise everything, but still we missed by centimetres.”
Slaven Bilic
“It’s a great night,” Bilic said (via ESPN). “It’s our history and it’s not just a game. It’s against them, [United] it’s fighting for Europe and everything, a late night game — it couldn’t be better. All the boxes you need to have a special kind of a game, it was tonight. All the boxes were there, Man United, late night … thriller, five goals … so brilliant.”
Bilic thought that his side’s victory was a well deserved one. He praised the way his men dealt with the pressure on such a special night. “It was a special game, it was big, big pressure for us although we’ve had a great season and I told the guys ‘whatever, you … however we finish the last couple of games, this season has been great for West Ham in terms of breaking a few records and everything.’
He went on to say that this was a win of character as they were up against a highly motivated Manchester United side who were looking to overtake City. “We didn’t stop believing because we were unlucky to be 1-1 all the time,” he said. “We knew that they were highly motivated because it meant a lot to them as they could have overtaken Manchester City but we should have been more than 1-0 up at half-time.”
Manchester United fans were again left disappointed by the team’s loss and LVG was not spared.
I like LFC’s manager more than I like ours. That’s how bad things are #MUFC
— Rob B. (@_Rob_B) May 10, 2016
Feeling among some at #MUFC is that LVG will be judged on these next 2 games. You’d think they’d have seen enough to make up minds by now
— Oliver Kay (@OliverKayTimes) May 10, 2016
LVG complaining abt lack of height in team again. One solution to that would have been spending some of the £250m on bigger/stronger players
— Paul Hirst (@hirstclass) May 10, 2016
Get rid of LVG @ManUtd Get someone who can instill some grinta and fight into his players
— Juvefc.com (@juvefcdotcom) May 10, 2016
Pathetic and spineless. That’s what LvG is all about.
— Busby MUFC (@BusbyMUFC) May 10, 2016
A chance to please the fans, a chance to salvage what has been a dreadful season, and they don’t turn up. No motivation under LVG.
— Jordan (@FourFourJordan) May 10, 2016
On the occasion of it being the last ever football match to be played at the Boleyn Ground, there was no shortage of tributes and reactions to the closing ceremony
This pic from a flat in a tower block overlooking West Ham’s ground is lovely. pic.twitter.com/PXElgd4xXL
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) May 10, 2016
Taxi for West Ham legends pic.twitter.com/0XfvbJrl4V
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) May 10, 2016
The lights have gone down for the last time. #FarewellBoleyn you’ll never be forgotten pic.twitter.com/6EiwEqc5qm
— West Ham Social (@WestHamSocial) May 10, 2016
West Ham It was a good win but the Fireworks are a bit over the Top
— Anthony Mahoney (@AnthonyMahoney3) May 10, 2016
Mr Moon has left the stadium and the lights are out… Forever. #FarewellBoleyn
— #FarewellBoleyn (@kaz7289) May 10, 2016
Actually really enjoyed the West Ham Olympics closing ceremony ? Seriously though, great season for them and nice words from Noble ??
— Kelly O’Donnell_MCFC (@Kelly_O_Donnell) May 10, 2016
Im just waiting for West Ham to bring out the World Cup trophy at some point
— Cam (@BFooli) May 10, 2016
Lighting up a true football legend #FarewellBoleyn #WHUFC pic.twitter.com/nVHiTqHHrY
— West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) May 10, 2016
