James Ward-Prowse bounces back from England snub to inspire West Ham to within two points of knockouts

West Ham 1-0 Olympiakos (Paqueta 73′)

LONDON STADIUM — Lucas Paqueta’s second goal of the season helped West Ham to within touching distance of the Europa League knockout stages as they overcame a stubborn Olympiakos side 1-0 at the London Stadium.

The Hammers were beaten 2-1 in Greece two weeks ago and looked like they might slip to second in Group A as they failed to convert possession into goals.

But Paqueta, named in the European Conference League team of the year as the Hammers won it last season, beat the offside trap and saw the linesman’s flag overturned by VAR as he connected with James Ward-Prowse to break the deadlock 17 minutes from time.

The Hammers did survive a late scare as Mady Camara headed against the post, but they clung on to ensure that victory in other of their two remaining group games will see them continue their Europa League dream after Christmas.

Mohammed Kudus provided West Ham’s first moment of excitement, beating three players on the right only to lose the ball on the byline. With Said Benrahma on one wing and Kudus on the other, with Lucas Paqueta roaming in an advanced No 10 role, David Moyes’s Hammers were setting out their stall to play on the front foot.

And they should have had the opening goal when Nayef Aguerd rose above the crowd to meet Ward-Prowse’s corner, but his header was straight at Alexandros Paschalakis, the 34-year-old who had made his first save of the night only 30 seconds early, clawing away Benrahma’s fine curling strike at full stretch.

Aguerd would have a second and indeed third sight of goal before half-time with Olympiakos seemingly unaware of the danger of Ward-Prowse’s excellent delivery, but could not find the target.

Olympiakos were becoming a threat almost exclusively on the counter-attack, and Daniel Podence almost steered an awkward volley goalwards after a speedy breakaway. West Ham should know all about the dangers of Podence after he scored the only goal of the game 10 months ago for Wolves in the Premier League.

Domestic struggles have seen West Ham win just once in the last month and the 47-time Greek champions grew into the game after the break, introducing their joint top-scorer Ayoub El Kaabi up front and pushing 21-year-old Sokratis Alexandropoulos further forward from Olympiakos’s previously entrenched position.

West Ham weathered the storm without great incident though and again should have taken the lead, this time through Ward-Prowse, after great work by Bowen on the left to beat his man and pull it back, but Paschalakis was presented with a weak, scuffed shot that he held.

But the Englishman made amends 10 minutes later with a sumptuous dinked pass over the top, perfectly weighted for Paqueta who volleyed home from close range.

What followed was West Ham’s worst period of the game, Camara nodding against the post after a scrambled corner clearance and the lively Rodinei firing over, but the clean sheet remained intact, as did their place at the top of the group.