Match ends, Dinamo Zagreb 0, West Ham United 2.
David Moyes says he is "really excited" to not know the true potential of his West Ham team after they opened their Europa League campaign with a Group H win at Dinamo Zagreb.
Michail Antonio and Declan Rice both scored as the Hammers announced themselves in the competition with a dominant performance against the Croatian champions.
It ensured that Moyes' side continued their unbeaten start to the campaign, and barring qualifying games, delivered a first victory in Europe since 1999.
"Zagreb have a really good history in European football so I knew it was going to be a tough game and the players were made aware of that," Moyes said.
"I'm really excited about the prospect of slightly not knowing how good they could be. We brought in some new players tonight and didn't look any the worse for it.
"Bigger challenges will come and my target is still to be in Europe after Christmas, when other teams come in. It's only one game, but the players are in a good place."
Antonio had set the Hammers on their way with his fifth goal of the season, intercepting Kevin Theophile-Catherine's underhit backpass to round home goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and slide the ball into an empty net.
After the break Rice sealed an exemplary away performance with a superb second on his 150th appearance for the club.
The England midfielder brilliantly won back possession and drove into the Dinamo area before dispatching a powerful left-foot shot through Livakovic's legs.
"I think what he's [Rice] tried to do is take himself to the next level," added Moyes. "He's a terrific player and he's getting better.
"He's still only 22, he's a young boy with a big future. It's one step at a time, but he's doing really well for us. The ability to surge away from people, his power and speed, is a great trait."
Rice's goal underlined West Ham's superiority and vindicated Moyes' decision to introduce several players into his starting XI for the first time this season.
Kurt Zouma and Nikola Vlasic both impressed on their full debuts for the club, while Ryan Fredericks, Manuel Lanzini and Issa Diop also acquitted themselves well.
The Hammers are joined at the top of Group H by Genk, who scored a stoppage-time winner at Rapid Vienna.
A perfect night for West Ham and Moyes
As far as European away trips go few are likely to prove as straightforward as this for West Ham.
On paper they appeared to have been handed a difficult opening assignment against last term's quarter-finalists and conquerors of Tottenham.
However, the only disappointment was that the scoreline was not more emphatic.
Roared on by about 2,000 visiting fans at Stadion Maksimir, Moyes' team pushed forward from the outset and the likes of Fredericks, Vlasic and Lanzini all failed to capitalise when presented with good opportunities to score.
Aside from the aggressive nature of West Ham's pressing, Moyes will have also been delighted by the way his side nullified Dinamo's threat.
Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski barely had a shot to save, with the only moment of alarm coming when a heavily deflected Luka Ivanusec effort clipped the outside of the right post before going wide.
Player of the match
AntonioMichail Antonio
Dinamo Zagreb
Avg
- Squad number2Player nameMoharramiAverage rating
4.76
- Squad number40Player nameLivakovicAverage rating
4.67
- Squad number99Player nameOrsicAverage rating
4.67
- Squad number8Player nameGojakAverage rating
4.57
- Squad number70Player nameMenaloAverage rating
4.56
- Squad number24Player nameTolicAverage rating
4.56
- Squad number39Player nameJuricAverage rating
4.55
- Squad number6Player nameLauritsenAverage rating
4.54
- Squad number21Player namePetkovicAverage rating
4.52
- Squad number28Player nameThĂŠophile-CatherineAverage rating
4.50
- Squad number38Player nameFranjicAverage rating
4.38
- Squad number7Player nameIvanusecAverage rating
4.34
- Squad number37Player nameSutaloAverage rating
4.32
- Squad number13Player nameRistovskiAverage rating
4.29
- Squad number5Player nameAdemiAverage rating
4.28
- Squad number27Player nameMisicAverage rating
4.27
West Ham United
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameAntonioAverage rating
8.75
- Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
8.73
- Squad number4Player nameZoumaAverage rating
8.24
- Squad number28Player nameSoucekAverage rating
8.23
- Squad number3Player nameCresswellAverage rating
8.14
- Squad number8Player nameFornalsAverage rating
7.87
- Squad number23Player nameDiopAverage rating
7.86
- Squad number24Player nameFredericksAverage rating
7.82
- Squad number20Player nameBowenAverage rating
7.76
- Squad number1Player nameFabianskiAverage rating
7.71
- Squad number11Player nameVlasicAverage rating
7.70
- Squad number10Player nameLanziniAverage rating
7.66
- Squad number22Player nameBenrahmaAverage rating
7.63
- Squad number16Player nameNobleAverage rating
7.61
- Squad number26Player nameMasuakuAverage rating
7.43
- Squad number7Player nameYarmolenkoAverage rating
7.33
Line-ups
Dinamo Zagreb
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 40Livakovic
- 28ThĂŠophile-CatherineSubstituted forJuricat 45'minutes
- 6Lauritsen
- 37Sutalo
- 13RistovskiSubstituted forMoharramiat 63'minutes
- 27MisicBooked at 67minsSubstituted forTolicat 75'minutes
- 38Franjic
- 99OrsicSubstituted forMenaloat 83'minutes
- 5Ademi
- 7IvanusecSubstituted forGojakat 84'minutes
- 21Petkovic
Substitutes
- 1Zagorac
- 2Moharrami
- 3Stefulj
- 8Gojak
- 9Andric
- 24Tolic
- 31Bulat
- 39Juric
- 46Baturina
- 66Dilaver
- 70Menalo
- 77Spikic
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 24Fredericks
- 23Diop
- 4Zouma
- 3Cresswell
- 41RiceSubstituted forNobleat 82'minutes
- 28Soucek
- 11VlasicSubstituted forBowenat 69'minutes
- 10LanziniBooked at 32minsSubstituted forBenrahmaat 52'minutes
- 8FornalsSubstituted forMasuakuat 83'minutes
- 9AntonioSubstituted forYarmolenkoat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Coufal
- 7Yarmolenko
- 13Areola
- 15Dawson
- 16Noble
- 20Bowen
- 21Ogbonna
- 22Benrahma
- 26Masuaku
- 31Johnson
- 33KrĂĄl
- 35Randolph
- Referee:
- Ruddy Buquet
- Attendance:
- 12,344
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away5
- Corners
- Home3
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Dinamo Zagreb 0, West Ham United 2.
Post update
Attempt saved. Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham United) header from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by SaĂŻd Benrahma with a cross.
Post update
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Sadegh Moharrami.
Post update
Attempt blocked. SaĂŻd Benrahma (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tomas Soucek.
Substitution
Substitution, Dinamo Zagreb. Amer Gojak replaces Luka Ivanusec.
Substitution
Substitution, Dinamo Zagreb. Luka Menalo replaces Mislav Orsic.
Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Andriy Yarmolenko replaces Michail Antonio.
Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Arthur Masuaku replaces Pablo Fornals.
Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Mark Noble replaces Declan Rice.
Post update
Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Kurt Zouma (West Ham United).
Post update
Offside, Dinamo Zagreb. Luka Ivanusec tries a through ball, but Deni Juric is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt blocked. SaĂŻd Benrahma (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Pablo Fornals.
Substitution
Substitution, Dinamo Zagreb. Marko Tolic replaces Josip Misic.
Post update
Attempt saved. Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Michail Antonio.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Dinamo Zagreb. Conceded by Tomas Soucek.
Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Jarrod Bowen replaces Nikola Vlasic.
Post update
Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Last season and now this, simply fantastic!!
COYI
That was on paper and by coefficient the hardest game of the group stage, and Zagreb were dispatched comfortably. Professional performance.
Like Celtic, got themselves comfortably into a valuable 0-2 lead. Unlike Celtic, didn't then have an unfortunate 4-goal accident.