Said Benrahma scored from the penalty spot as West Ham United defeated Fiorentina in the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League at the Fortuna Arena on Wednesday.
It was their first European title since 1965 when they defeated 1860 Munich 2-0 at Wembley in the UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup. It was also their first European final appearance since the 1976 Cup Winner’s Cup when they lost 4-2 to Anderlecht in Brussels.
West Ham topped Group B of this season’s Europa Conference League with a 100% record ahead of Anderlecht, Silkeborg and FCSB before edging past AEK Larnaca, Gent and AZ Alkmaar in the knockout phase.
After a cagey first half in Prague, the East London outfit took the lead in the 62nd minute courtesy of penalty specialist Benrahma following a Cristiano Biraghi handball. It was the Algerian international’s 12th goal of the season and third goal in the Europa Conference League.
Benrahma ????#UECLfinal pic.twitter.com/amGxway4kZ
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) June 7, 2023
It didn’t take to long the Viola to respond as Giacomo Ventura equalised in the 67th minute with a composed finish.
The game looked primed for extra time until Jarrod Bowen popped up with the winner in the 90th minute with a low shot that was buried into the bottom right corner of the net, sending the entire Hammers contingent in Prague into raptures.
⚒️ West Ham = 2022/23 Europa Conference League Champions! ????⚒️#UECLfinal pic.twitter.com/LHbs0lu8nU
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) June 7, 2023
Benrahma was not the only player of African origin to win the Europa Conference League. Morocco defender Nayef Aguerd, Italian-Nigerian defender Angelo Ogbonna, Franco-Central African defender Kurt Zouma, Ivory Coast winger Maxwel Cornet and Anglo-Congolese forward Divin Mubama all collected the winners medal.
For Fiorentina, Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, Ivory Coast forward Christian Kouame, Ghana midfielder Alfred Duncan and Franco-Congolese forward Jonathan Ikone, are the Africans that took home the runners-up medal.
