Just like the Bayer Leverkusen – Qarabag tie, both West Ham and Freiburg played each other in the group stage of the Europa League this season, and the Hammers were better twice (2-1 in Germany and then 2-0 at home in December). But David Moyes and his players cannot say that third time’s a charm, since they lost in the first game of the Round of 16 with a minimal score in Germany: Freiburg – West Ham 1-0.‼️🚨GOAL🚨‼️ ⚽️Michael Gregoritsch! Freiburg 1-0 West Ham pic.twitter.com/YgeyVftRAX— Footy Weekly (Banky) (@FootyBanks) March 7, 2024 The visitors were more comfortable during the game but were left empty-handed as Freiburg’s sub Gregoritsch scored the only goal of the match. It was a poor giveaway from Alvarez in midfield that allowed Freiburg to go forward. Sallai was found at the top of the area and he rifled the ball through the area, finding Gregoritsch at the back post. Zouma has no idea where his man is, and it was the simplest of tap-ins from him to see Freiburg ahead. West Ham had their best chance of avoiding defeat late in the game, when VAR took a lengthy check for the potential penalty, but after a few minutes, Kalvin Phillips’ shot into the area was not seen as the white-spot situation so the Hammers left Germany defeated.UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE1/8 finals – first legWednesdaySporting – Atalanta 1-1 (1-1)/Paulinho 17 – Scamacca 39/ThursdayRoma -Brighton 4-0 (2-0)/Dybala 14, Lukaku 43, Mancini 64, Cristante 68/Qarabag – Leverkusen 2-2 (2-0)/Benzia 26, Vieira 45+2 – Wirtz 70, Schick 90+2/Sparta Praha – Liverpool 1-5 (0-3)/Bradley (og) 46 – Mac Allister (og) 6, Nunez 25, Darwin 45+2, Diaz 53, Szoboszlai 90/Olympique Marseille – Villareal 4-0 (3-0)/Veretout 23, Mosquera (og) 28, Aubameyang 42(p), 59/Freiburg – West Ham 1-0 (0-0)/Gregoritsch 81/AC Milan – Slavia Praha 4-2 (3-1)/Giroud 34, Reijnders 44, Loftus-Cheek 45+2, Pulišić 85/Benfica – Rangers 2-2 (1-2)/Di Maria (p) 45+2, Goldson 67(og) – Lawrence 7, Sterling 45+5/
