West Ham United are to face ACF Fiorentina in their first European final for 47 years after Thursday’s 1-0 victory at AZ clinched a 3-1 aggregate success in the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals.
Pablo Fornals scored West Ham’s winner in the final moments of the tense second leg to set up a clash with Fiorentina in the final in Prague on June 7.
The Irons last reached a major European final in 1975-1976 when they were beaten by RSC Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
Photo: AP
In the other semi-final second leg, Antonin Barak’s last-gasp goal sealed Fiorentina’s dramatic 3-1 win at Basel.
The Serie A club are the first team to reach the final of four different major European competitions.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side trailed 2-1 after the first leg, but they turned the tie around in Switzerland.
Nicolas Gonzalez’s double and Barak’s goal in the final seconds of stoppage-time in extra-time clinched a 4-3 aggregate triumph.
West Ham have not won a major trophy since Trevor Brooking’s goal beat Arsenal in the 1979-1980 FA Cup final.
They lost the “Steven Gerrard” FA Cup final on penalties after a 3-3 draw against Liverpool in 2005-2006.
“We’re absolutely thrilled. It’s a big achievement for the club, but now it’s about going and winning it. AZ are very good at what they do, but I’m delighted we did it,” West Ham manager David Moyes said. “We’ve brought in a lot of international players to get better, but we’ve really struggled this season. We had to go back to what gets you wins, and thankfully we did that.”
Last season, West Ham lost 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
Moyes’ side have made amends for that painful near miss by reaching the final of a competition much-maligned in some quarters, but never again in east London.
West Ham have won 13 of their 14 games in the competition this season and will be favorites in the final.
“We have created history. It’s the first time in 47 years. It’s pure emotion and happiness to get it done,” West Ham midfielder Declan Rice said.
However, the Irons’ victory over AZ was tarnished slightly after fans from both clubs were involved in fighting after the final whistle.
A group of AZ fans appeared to get into the section holding West Ham’s 700 away supporters, prompting ugly scenes before police and stewards quelled the violence.
In Basel, Gonzalez brought Fiorentina level on aggregate in the 35th minute when he was left unmarked to head in Cristiano Biraghi’s corner.
Zeki Amdouni bagged Basel’s equalizer in the 55th minute, drilling past Pietro Terracciano after Andy Pelmard’s free-kick picked out the Swiss forward.
Gonzalez forced extra-time with a clinical finish into the far corner after 72 minutes.
With penalties only seconds away, Barak latched onto Luka Jovic’s header and slotted the winner.
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