West Ham 2-2 Newcastle United: Kudus to Mohammed! Super-sub scores 89th-minute equaliser to earn Hammers a point and cancel out Alexander Isak’s second-half brace

• West Ham drew 2-2 with Newcastle in a thrilling clash at the London Stadium
• The hosts took a first half lead, before two Alexander Isak goals put them behind
• They rescued a point thanks to an 89th minute goal from Mohammed Kudus 

It is the outcome both would have taken before kick-off on the back of their midweek European exertions, yet the one neither wanted come the end.

Mohammed Kudus salvaged a point for West Ham in the 89th minute and they would have won it in stoppage-time if not for the fingertips of Nick Pope.

But Newcastle had turned a losing position into a winning one with Alexander Isak’s second-half double and there will be frustration that their lead was allowed to slip, Kudus running free before Sandro Tonali was too slow to close and the Ghanian blasted his first Premier League goal from 20 yards. Seconds later and Jarrod Bowen’s cross was taken from the toe of Said Benrahma by Pope in the goalmouth.

That would have been harsh on Newcastle, whose first-half Championship performance was replaced by a Champions League masterclass after half-time. Trailing to Tomas Soucek’s early opener, Eddie Howe’s men donned their continental clock of supremacy and Isak’s brace had them in front by the 62nd minute.

It was all a far cry from the opening 45 minutes. Newcastle were flat on the pitch and in the stands, deflation on the back of elation after Wednesday’s 4-1 dismantling of Paris Saint-Germain. This was always going to be a challenge for them. Not so much the physical recovery, but more so the emotional recharge. Their players were queuing up to tell the media how the win over PSG had felt like a dream. Back to reality here.

Mohammed Kudus rescued a point for West Ham as they drew 2-2 with Newcastle United

Alexander Isak had earlier scored his second of the game to give the visitors a 2-1 lead

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West Ham led on eight minutes when Lucas Paqueta dropped a teasing ball in behind and Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope charged to close Emerson. But in rushing from his goal, Pope was only ever likely to achieve one of two things – give away a penalty or find himself stranded. Emerson’s touch was perfect – Pope’s judgement less so – and the Brazilian escaped the keeper before squaring for Soucek, left with the simplest of conversions inside the six-yard area.

Bruno Guimaraes was then fortunate in the extreme to escape two yellow cards in quick succession, the second a trip on James Ward-Prowse that went unpunished.

West Ham had hardly seen the ball to that point, but Newcastle’s 70 per cent share was possession minus purpose. They belatedly recorded a shot on goal on 29 minutes but Miguel Almiron’s curler from range bounced wide, just like Dan Burn’s header from a corner moments later. West Ham did not stop Newcastle from playing. There was nothing to stop, really.

That could well explain the complacency of David Moyes’ side at the start of the second half. Newcastle were sent out a good few minutes before the hosts and, by the time the visitors had taken the lead just after hour, they were still waiting for the Hammers to show.

Their equaliser, on 57 minutes, was not without controversy. The award of a Newcastle free-kick when Paqueta tackled Tonali was soft. From it, Trippier delivered, West Ham’s Edson Alvarez failed to clear from a header and Isak gathered before clipping over Areola. The striker was offside from Trippier’s initial ball but Alvarez’s intervention was deemed to be deliberate, which it was.

There were no grumbles about Isak’s second five minutes later, bar the contribution of Guimaraes, who should have been off. Trippier’s assist was sublime, returning first time and on the volley from Guimaraes’ pass and Isak turned in at the far post. He then hit the post in search of a game-clinching hat-trick.

That did not feel particularly decisive at the time, given how in control Newcastle were. West Ham’s equaliser, then, was something of a surprise, and it would have stunned all inside the London Stadium had they nicked three points.

Maybe both managers will be happy to emerge with a point after all.

It was an excellent performance from the striker, who now has six goals in seven appearances this season

Tomas Soucek gave West Ham the lead in the first half as he finished well from close range

MATCH FACTS 

West Ham: Areola, Zouma, Coufal, Aguerd, Emerson, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Alvarez, Bowen, Soucek (Kudus, 75), Antonio (Benrahma, 75)

Subs:  Fornals, Anang, Cornet, Ings, Mubama, Ogbonna, Kehrer

Goals: Soucek (8) Kudus (89)

Bookings: Emerson, Antonio, Paqueta

 Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Burn, Tonali, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Isak (Wilson, 86), Almiron (Murphy, 82), Anderson (Targett, 90+3)

Subs: Ritchie, Dubravka, Dummett, Manquillo, Hall, Livramento

Goals: Isak (57, 62) 

Bookings: Guimaraes, Almiron, Longstaff

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