Newcastle United improved their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League after Bruno Guimarães scored in the second half to give them a 1-0 win at West Ham United in the Premier League.
West Ham, who had won two games in a row without conceding, started the match with confidence and nearly took the lead in the first minute, but Tomáš Souček shot over the bar from close range. Newcastle were lucky to escape and slowly got into the game as the first half went on, with Harvey Barnes having two shots saved by goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Both teams tried to find the opening goal as halftime approached, but there were few clear chances. Mohammed Kudus was nearly through on goal, but Kieran Trippier did well to block him. The second half started similarly, with limited action, though Areola was forced to make a great save after a mis-hit clearance from Max Kilman.
Newcastle finally took the lead just after the hour mark when Barnes crossed the ball and Guimarães stretched to poke it home. West Ham tried to respond quickly and felt they should have had a penalty when Guimarães fouled Jarrod Bowen in the box, but the referee did not award it, leaving the home fans upset.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxYBr95r7n4
With less than 10 minutes left, West Ham pushed hard for an equaliser, but Newcastle looked more likely to score again. The visitors held on for a crucial three points ahead of their Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday. West Ham, on the other hand, stay in 16th place after missing the chance to win three Premier League games in a row for the first time since 2023.
