Kudus rescues point for West Ham with debut league goal

By Daniel ODURO, Accra

Ghana international Mohammed Kudus played a crucial role as his West Ham side secured a vital point in their 2-2 draw with Newcastle.

Newcastle looked to be heading for a fifth straight win when Alexander Isak’s second-half double turned the game around, following Tomas Soucek’s eighth-minute opener for the Hammers.

But Kudus’ first Premier League goal since joining West Ham in the summer, a driven effort into the bottom corner, ensured the points were shared in the capital.

West Ham and Newcastle stayed seventh and eighth respectively in the table as both sides returned to action after wins in Europe.

West Ham fans went through a whole range of emotions across the 90 minutes.

At half-time, it looked as if their team would equal their best league start since the 1999-2000 season, putting themselves on track for 16 points after eight games with a win over a leggy Newcastle.

David Moyes’ side were boosted by the return of forward Michail Antonio, who was back from a hip injury, and they took the lead from their first attack.

Emerson knocked the ball around Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, who had raced from his line, and a low cross allowed unmarked midfielder Soucek to tap into an empty net.

When Newcastle responded at the start of an exciting second period, West Ham then appeared to be slipping to a third Premier League defeat in four matches.

That was until Kudus struck brilliantly from the edge of the penalty area.

And in the last few seconds the home team nearly snatched victory when Jarrod Bowen’s shot was saved by Pope, the ball just evading the onrushing Said Benrahma as he looked to knock in the rebound.