By Daily Sports on January 24, 2016

Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho was on duty and made a great contribution as Enner Valencia and Sergio Aguero each scored braces, with Manchester City twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 at West Ham United yesterday evening.

After Valencia had opened the scoring just 53 seconds in at the Boleyn Ground, Aguero promptly equalised from the penalty spot.

Valencia struck again early in the second half and it looked like that effort would prove decisive until Aguero bagged a close-range leveller with nine minutes remaining for his fifth goal in four league matches.

City have only won one of their last eight away matches in the league and trail leaders Leicester City by three points. West Ham, who are unbeaten in nine at home in the league, stay sixth, with Aguero’s leveller denying them the chance to move above Manchester United.

The match got off to a surprising start when Cheikhou Kouyate drove past Yaya Toure down the left and saw his cross deflect off Fabian Delph before falling perfectly at the feet of Valencia, who drilled his shot past Joe Hart from 12 yards.

Aguero almost netted a stunning equaliser for City when he latched on to Toure’s pass and brilliantly chipped Adrian from a tight angle, only to be denied by the inside of the post.

But the City striker was to find the scoresheet on nine minutes. After he and David Silva had exchanged a slick one-two, Carl Jenkinson brought Aguero down as he drove into the box.

Aguero sent Adrian the wrong way from the spot, before Jenkinson’s day got worse as he came off with an injury, giving Sam Byram, who was signed this week from Leeds United, an earlier than expected debut.

West Ham thought they had got back in front when Dimitri Payet unleashed a brilliant free-kick that arrowed towards the top corner, but Hart made a magnificent one-handed save to keep the scores level at half-time.

The hosts threatened early in the second half as Michail Antonio headed just wide from close range after a Mark Noble cross.

City went even closer to finding the third goal when Delph’s bouncing shot struck the foot of the post, before West Ham scored in unusual fashion on 56 minutes.

A quickly taken long throw by Antonio caught out Nicolas Otamendi and Valencia got in behind to stab a low shot past Hart.

Alex Song was just off target with a long-range effort as West Ham continued to trouble City, who brought on Raheem Sterling and Kelechi Iheanacho in an attempt to reverse the momentum.

Just as it looked like the away side were heading for defeat, they struck on 81 minutes. Iheanacho’s run into the box was curtailed by Aaron Cresswell, but the defender’s attempted clearance fell at Aguero’s feet and he finished with ease from close range.

West Ham almost grabbed a dramatic winner right at the death, but Kouyate’s header from a deep Payet free-kick hit the crossbar.

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: “It was a great game of football. I’m so proud of our team and Man City.

“There was everything in it. Four goals, chances, yellow cards and a penalty.

“We defended well and created many chances. We hit the post at the end, but they hit the post twice.

“We were a little bit disappointed, but I said to the players they shouldn’t be. But if you are disappointed after playing [and drawing against] Man City then that’s good.”

Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini: “A draw was not what we wanted before the game. It is not a bad result, but it was not what we wanted before.

“If you analyse the whole game I think that we had two or three clear chances to score. We hit the post twice and had one clear chance at the end.

“It was a difficult game. I was not happy the way we conceded the second goal. We lost with a throw-in after Fabian Delph had shot to the post it comes in the next play and that brought the goal.

“Until the last minute I don't think I saw Joe [Hart] have to really work very hard. I thought we played near their box, but it was a close game for both teams and a good game for both sets of fans. It was end-to-end because both teams play in an attacking way.”

•Photo shows Iheanacho.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 24, 2016

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