Gianluca Scamacca stunner in comeback West Ham win at Silkeborg – player ratings

Silkeborg IF 2-3 West Ham (Kusk 5′, Tengstedt 75’ | Lanzini 13′ pen, Scamacca 25′, Dawson 38′)

Gianluca Scamacca scored the pick of the goals as West Ham edged out Danish side Silkeborg and made it two Europa Conference League wins from two.

Manuel Lanzini, with a penalty, and Craig Dawson were also on target as the Hammers came from a goal down and then held off a late fightback.

David Moyes’ side were back in Denmark just 21 days after their last visit, when they completed a 6-1 aggregate qualifying play-off win over Silkeborg’s Superliga rivals Viborg.

They are now firmly in pole position in Group B after following up last Thursday’s 3-1 win over Romanian side FCSB with another victory.

However, just like last week they had to come from behind as Silkeborg, managed by former Aston Villa defender Kent Nielsen, took a shock lead after five minutes.

A slick move on an artificial pitch culminated in the ball being pulled back for Kasper Kusk to sidefoot home from the edge of the area.

West Ham player ratings

Areola 6, Coufal 6, Kehrer 7, Dawson 6, Cresswell 6, Emerson 6, Rice 7 (Soucek 62, 6), Lanzini 6 (Coventry 90), Paqueta 6 (Benrahma 62, 6), Cornet 6 (Fornals 86), Scamacca 8 (Bowen 62, 6).

Life almost got doubly difficult for the Hammers when more dawdling defending gave Tobias Engel a shooting chance, but his effort flew wide.

Instead, the lead lasted only six minutes before Maxwel Cornet was shoved to the ground by Tobias Solquist and Lanzini stepped up to equalise from the penalty spot.

Scamacca has yet to find the net in the Premier League but is clearly finding Europe to his liking.

The Italy striker scored in both legs against Viborg and, after Cornet smuggled the ball to him 20 yards out, he launched a rocket high into the net to give West Ham the lead.

Silkeborg striker Nicklas Helenius had a header harshly ruled out for a foul – there is no VAR at this stage of the competition – before Dawson, who missed the start of the season through injury, marked his return to the side with the third goal, a near-post header from Aaron Cresswell’s corner eight minutes before half-time.

West Ham were in control of a pedestrian second half until substitute Jarrod Bowen gave the ball away, Lanzini lunged in and missed his tackle and Silkeborg broke.

The ball eventually fell to the feet of Soren Tengstedt, who lashed it home to make it an unnecessarily nervy finish for the Hammers with Alphonse Areola denying Toni Adamsen an equaliser.