LONDON: West Ham United maintained their impressive start to the season when they beat English Premier League Champions Manchester City 2-1 at Upton Park on Saturday 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 Manchester City’s 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.
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.
But within two minutes Manchester City pulled one back with a superb goal from David Silva who jinked his way through the West Ham defence to curl home past Adrian.
Manchester 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 English Premier League Manchester City on 17 points from nine matches, five points behind leaders Chelsea who play at Manchester United on Sunday. West Ham remained fourth on 16 points from their opening nine games. (Reuters)
