AZ Alkmaar 0-1 West Ham (agg: 1-3): Hammers reach Europa Conference League final

West Ham United reached their first major European final since 1976 after they overcame AZ Alkmaar in their Europa Conference League semi-final.

David Moyes' side soaked up plenty of pressure at AFAS Stadium until Pablo Fornals scored on the counter-attack in second-half injury time.

The night, however, was soured by unpleasant scenes off the pitch.

AZ Alkmaar fans attacked an area in which friends and family of the West Ham players were watching the match.

West Ham will face Fiorentina, who beat Basel in extra time in the other semi-final.

The Hammers are hoping to lift their first major trophy since they lifted the 1980 FA Cup; they were one of three winners of the 1999 Intertoto Cup.

Hammers end 47-year wait for final

West Ham's last European final had been in the 1975-76 Cup Winners' Cup when they lost 4-2 to Anderlecht.

They came agonisingly close to breaking that duck last season, losing 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League semi-finals.

This time around they were disciplined, keeping their hosts at arm's length for much of their second leg.

Paqueta clipped the outside of the post in the 26th minute after good work from Michail Antonio, while captain Declan Rice forced a good save from AZ keeper Mat Ryan shortly after the restart.

Defender Nayef Aguerd also dragged an effort wide from close range in the 82nd minute, before Pablo Fornals raced clear in injury time and buried the ball into the bottom corner to seal the tie.

It means the Hammers have an opportunity to win a first European trophy since they lifted the Cup Winners' Cup in 1965.

It would cap off a fine turnaround for Moyes' side, who were booed by their own fans on 5 April when they suffered a 5-1 home defeat by Newcastle to leave them just a point clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

The Hammers are 15th in the table with two games left, and need just a point across their final two league games to mathematically confirm their safety.

AZ second-best against mighty West Ham

Eredivisie side AZ were in their first European semi-final since losing to Sporting Lisbon in the last four of the 2004-05 Uefa Cup.

The 1981 Uefa Cup finalists had enjoyed an impressive European run, beating Lazio in the last 16 and coming from two goals down to beat Anderlecht on penalties in the quarter-finals.

They threw everything at West Ham in the closing stages - and Hammers defender Thilo Kehrer nearly caught out keeper Alphonse Areola with a risky back-pass.

And defender Kurt Zouma was relieved not to have been penalised for a handball in the area, with the video assistant referee deciding not to overturn Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak's non-penalty call.

Despite opening the scoring in London last week, AZ slumped to a 3-1 aggregate defeat. They need one more point from their final two league fixtures to secure a top-four finish and qualify for next season's Europa Conference League qualifiers.

Player of the match

FornalsPablo Fornals

AZ Alkmaar

Squad number1Player nameRyan

Squad number31Player nameBeukema

Squad number16Player nameMijnans

Squad number5Player nameKerkez

Squad number11Player nameKarlsson

Squad number8Player nameClasie

Squad number2Player nameSugawara

Squad number3Player nameHatzidiakos

Squad number9Player namePavlidis

Squad number6Player nameReijnders

Squad number35Player nameMeerdink

Squad number19Player namevan Brederode

Squad number34Player namede Wit

Squad number10Player namede Wit

Squad number23Player nameLahdo

West Ham United

Squad number8Player nameFornals

Squad number11Player nameLucas Paquetá

Squad number41Player nameRice

Squad number27Player nameAguerd

Squad number9Player nameAntonio

Squad number4Player nameZouma

Squad number13Player nameAréola

Squad number24Player nameKehrer

Squad number18Player nameIngs

Squad number22Player nameBenrahma

Squad number28Player nameSoucek

Squad number3Player nameCresswell

Squad number20Player nameBowen

Squad number12Player nameDownes

Line-ups

AZ Alkmaar

Formation 4-3-3

1Ryan

2Sugawara31Beukema3Hatzidiakos5Kerkez

16Mijnans8Clasie6Reijnders

19van Brederode9Pavlidis11Karlsson

Substitutes

West Ham

Formation 4-3-3

13Aréola

24Kehrer4Zouma27Aguerd3Cresswell

28Soucek41Rice11Lucas Paquetá

20Bowen9Antonio22Benrahma

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, AZ 0, West Ham United 1.

Second Half ends, AZ 0, West Ham United 1.

Foul by Sam Beukema (AZ).

Kurt Zouma (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution, West Ham United. Flynn Downes replaces Lucas Paquetá.

Goal! AZ 0, West Ham United 1. Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner following a fast break.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Delay in match because of an injury Alphonse Aréola (West Ham United).

Foul by Mexx Meerdink (AZ).

Alphonse Aréola (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution, AZ. Mexx Meerdink replaces Jesper Karlsson.

Substitution, West Ham United. Danny Ings replaces Michail Antonio.

Substitution, AZ. Mees de Wit replaces Milos Kerkez.

Hand ball by Jesper Karlsson (AZ).

Attempt missed. Nayef Aguerd (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tomás Soucek.

Attempt missed. Tomás Soucek (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Michail Antonio.

Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Sam Beukema.

Foul by Vangelis Pavlidis (AZ).

Thilo Kehrer (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Yukinari Sugawara (AZ) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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