West Ham United edged past Queens Park Rangers 2–1 after extra time at the London Stadium today, squeezing into the FA Cup fourth round in a tie that felt less like a routine home assignment and more like a test of nerve for a side short on confidence. It was their first win since early November, and while the performance was far from flawless, the relief at full-time was unmistakable as new striker Taty Castellanos nodded in the extra-time winner to end a long, anxious wait for something positive.
The opening half-hour was edgy and scrappy, with West Ham slow to impose themselves and QPR more than willing to make it uncomfortable. The visitors threatened from set plays, and West Ham’s first real moment of quality didn’t arrive until well into the half when Crysencio Summerville cut inside and forced Joe Walsh into a strong save. The game then took a worrying turn when Konstantinos Mavropanos suffered a nasty neck injury in an aerial collision during a corner, prompting lengthy treatment on the pitch and an extended delay before he was carried off on a stretcher. The stoppage added a huge chunk of injury time, and West Ham finally took advantage of it: in the 10th minute of added time, Summerville arrived in the box and lashed a close-range finish into the net to send the home side into the break with a 1–0 lead.
QPR didn’t fold, and after half-time they grew into the contest with more belief, moving the ball quicker and asking sharper questions in wide areas. Their reward came on 65 minutes when Karamoko Dembélé delivered an inviting cross and Richard Kone guided a header beyond Mads Hermansen to level the tie at 1–1. West Ham responded with more urgency and carried the greater threat in the closing stages, but couldn’t find the clean final touch to avoid extra time, leaving the stadium tense and impatient as the match dragged on.
In extra time, West Ham pushed harder to settle it before penalties and finally found the breakthrough through the two players who had shaped their best moments. Summerville wriggled away down the left, created separation with a sharp turn, and whipped in a superb cross that Castellanos attacked aggressively, powering a header past Walsh on 98 minutes for his first goal in a West Ham shirt. That was enough to decide the tie, with the hosts seeing out the remaining minutes as QPR tired and the crowd’s mood shifted from frustration to relief.
After the match, West Ham head coach Nuno Espírito Santo admitted the win meant more than just progression in the cup. He spoke about how much the result lifted the players and supporters, and suggested the biggest change came from seeing the ball hit the net—something his side have struggled for in recent weeks. He praised the team’s response after conceding the equaliser, highlighting their character and determination to keep going, and he also offered an update on Mavropanos, describing the injury as painful and saying the defender would be assessed over the coming days.
QPR manager Julien Stéphan, while disappointed to go out, took pride in how his team competed and in the fact they pushed Premier League opposition all the way into extra time. He felt his players showed organisation and bravery, and that their equaliser reflected the way they grew into the game, even if they couldn’t find the decisive moment late on.
For West Ham, this wasn’t a performance that instantly wipes away bigger concerns, but it was a badly needed win, a first goal for a new striker signed to change their season, and a reminder that momentum can still be rebuilt—even if it arrives the hard way.
