{"id":2355,"date":"2024-04-11T21:30:12","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T21:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2355"},"modified":"2024-04-11T21:30:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T21:30:12","slug":"premier-league-fear-for-west-ham-after-heartbreaking-bayer-leverkusen-loss-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2355","title":{"rendered":"Premier League fear for West Ham after ‘heartbreaking’ Bayer Leverkusen loss | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Bayer\n<\/div>

West Ham struggled to keep up with the quality of Bayer Leverkusen (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Joe Cole feels it is going to be very difficult for West Ham to bounce back in the Premier League at the weekend after a draining and heartbreaking defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

The Hammers lost 2-0to the German side in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final in Leverkusen, with late goals from Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface breaking a stubborn resistance from the away side.<\/p>\n

The Bundesliga leaders had 75 per cent possession and produced 33 shots to West Ham\u2019s one, but it looked like David Moyes\u2019 side might escape with a draw unil Hofmann scored in the 83rd minute.<\/p>\n

Now things look pretty bleak for the Premier League side ahead of the return leg, not that the tie is over but after Leverkusen\u2019s domination, Cole admits it is hard to see his former team coming back.<\/p>\n

He also reckons it will be tough for them against Fulham on Sunday after the painful loss.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s hard to make a case for West Ham next Thursday,\u2019 Cole said on TNT Sports. \u2018They\u2019ll be bitterly disappointed because even if they\u2019d got a 0-0 in that game, the players would have left the pitch feeling like they\u2019d played three games. <\/p>\n

\u2018When you\u2019re banked in that much and the stress of getting your angles right and defending for 90-plus minutes, it\u2019s so draining. <\/p>\n

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David Moyes described Leverkusen as a \u2018Champions League team\u2019 (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018But to lose two late goals, that\u2019s going to be a real killer blow for that squad, they\u2019ve got to show some character on the weekend against Fulham. <\/p>\n

\u2018Mentally to come back from that will be very difficult. It\u2019s just heartbreaking when you\u2019ve defended as well as West Ham have.\u2019<\/p>\n

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski told TNT Sports: \u2018Very disappointed. We worked hard for 80 minutes and then we gave two goals away from set-pieces. Usually defending set-pieces is our strength but you have to give a lot of credit to the opposition because they pushed the whole game.<\/p>\n

\u2018The more disappointing thing is that we conceded the second goal. It gives them a bit more confidence. We won\u2019t give up. We have to believe and respond in the second leg.\u2019<\/p>\n

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