WEST HAM left the London Stadium pitch humiliated as their European dream came crashing to an end at the hands of Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu.
The hosts missed a tonne of chances, defended woefully for Filipe Teixeira’s winner but Astra keeper Silviu Lung Jr made some outstanding saves to keep his side in the lead.

                      Facts, stats and  goals


  • West Ham are concentrating on the Prem after stumbling out of the Europa League in their brand new stadium – ideal for hosting European football, ironically.

  • Slaven Bilic said either Dimitri Payet or Manuel Lanzini would play a part but neither made the squad, which is a worry for Sunday’s visit to Man City.

  • With Andy Carroll and Payet injured, the Hammers have almost £250,000-a-week in wages sidelined. They need medical miracles or a marquee signing.

  • Michail Antonio can play in defence or attack but he lacks balls of steel after doubling over on 23 minutes from a ball to the crotch.

  • Assistant referee Mike Pickel knows his onions – he made a number of spot-on calls, spread across the game, and relished the occasion.

  • If Leicester proved possession football isn’t king, West Ham took no notice. They knocked the ball about aimlessly for 45 minutes before conceding through Teixeira.

  • Bilic could replace crocked Carroll with 45-year-old Astra manager Marius Sumudica who rose like a salmon to head a second-half West Ham clearance.

  • Loan signing Jonathan Calleri is a poor sub for failed Hammers transfer ‘targets’ Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Michy Batshuayi, Alexandre Lacazette and Carlos Bacca.

  • On 70 minutes sub Ashley Fletcher should have had a penalty or a yellow card after going down under a challenge in the Astra box.

  • Brilliant Astra keeper Silviu Lung took our breath away with last-gasp saves to deny Fletcher and Antonio.
source:thesun