Match Reports

U18 Report: West Ham United 3 Albion 1

By James Hilsu • 19 February 2018

  • Albion’s under-18s are beaten 3-1 by West Ham United
  • Odysseas Spyrides, Yiannis Constantinou and Bernardo Rusa on target for West Ham
  • Stefan Ljubicic scores for the Seagulls
  • Albion are next in action away at Arsenal on Friday

Brighton & Hove Albion’s under-18s were beaten 3-1 by West Ham United at the Little Heath Sports Ground.

Stefan Ljubicic had initially restored parity to the scoreline with a header just past the hour mark, but goals from Odysseas Spyrides, Yiannis Constantinou and Bernardo Rusa gave the Hammers all three points.

Albion created their first chance from a corner, as Tyrese Fornah’s delivery into the box fell kindly for Jayden Onen, who fired his effort wide from inside the six-yard box.

Onen and Hamish Morrison linked up well to set up a chance for Ljubicic, but the striker's effort went over the bar.

Ljubicic had another opportunity after latching onto Cameron Tutt’s ball over the Hammers' defence, but his effort was comfortably saved.

But it was the hosts that broke the deadlock through Spyrides just six minutes after the re-start.

The Seagulls restored parity through Ljubicic, when the striker headed home Onen’s cross after some good interplay down the left flank on the hour mark.

The Hammers restored their advantage ten minutes later through Constantinou, when he fired home from Amadou Diallo’s pass.

The east Londoners secured all three points six minutes from time thanks to Rusa, who scored from Reece Hannam’s pass to make the final score 3-1.

ALBION: McGill; Morrison, Clark-Eden, Weaire, Tutt; Kone, Fornah, Ferguson (Shihab 71), Everitt (Hutchinson 67); Onen, Ljubicic.

SUBS NOT USED: Bentley (GK), Packham, Spong.