Reading 1-1 West Ham United
Pre-season Match, Select Car Leasing Stadium, Saturday 16 July 2022
Nikola Vlašić returned with a goal as West Ham United drew 1-1 with Reading in our latest pre-season match on Saturday.
In blazing Berkshire sunshine, Vlašić joined the Hammers’ contingent of international players in returning to the fold, and he headed us into a 51st minute lead, converting Jarrod Bowen’s cross witn an accurate effort.
Bowen would later be denied by a superb Joe Lumley save, while Declan Rice cracked a low drive off the post, but Reading found a leveller on 68 minutes thanks to Yakou Meite’s low finish.
Nayef Aguerd featured for the first time in Claret & Blue and the likes of Vladimïr Coufal, Bowen and Vlašić also started at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Given the soaring temperature, perhaps it wasn’t too much of a surprise that the game started at a fairly low pace as both sides felt their way into the contest.
The Hammers’ first opportunity fell to Michail Antonio on 13 minutes, but with No9 was crowded out as he tried to latch onto Bowen’s dangerous low cross and Reading got an important block in.
At the other end, Junior Hoillett was off target with his effort after cutting inside off the left flank and aiming for the opposite corner.
Saïd Benrahma was inches away with a curler aimed towards the top right hand of goalkeeper Lumley’s net, as the Hammers came closest to breaking the deadlock in a low-key first half.
The Hammers made five changes at the interval, as Declan Rice and Alphonse Areola made their pre-season bows, and they were rewarded with the lead within six minutes.
It was a lovely goal, too, as Bowen made a trademark burst down the right hand side and stood up a perfect cross for Vlašić to send a header back across Lumley and into the net.
Lucas Joao wasted a good opportunity to level just two minutes later, heading straight at Areola when well placed, but the Hammers would control the next phase of the game and twice went close to extending the lead.
First Bowen was only denied by a superb fingertip stop from Lumley as he drove low towards the far post, and then, with 65 minutes on the clock, Rice struck the foot of the left-hand upright with a rocket from 20 yards.
Reading were not out of the contest though and they fashioned a leveller midway through the second half as a neat move down the left ended with Tom McIntyre crossing low and Meite producing a crisp, first time finish to leave Areola helpless.
Lumley had to smother a Pablo Fornals shot as the Hammers looked for a decisive second, while Meite thought he had found it five minutes from time when he strode clear and tucked home, only for an offside flag to cut short his celebration.
In the end neither team would be able to force a winner as a well-contested game ended all-square.
Reading: Lumley, Yiadom © (Azeez 60), Hutchison (Holzman 69), Holmes (Abrefa 69), Fornah (Leavy 60), Hendrick (Tetek 63), McIntyre (Clarke 69), Hoilett (Guinness-Walker 63), Ince (El-Mhanni 69), Ejaria (Meite 65), Joao (Long 63)
Subs: Bouzanis (GK), Abbey, Ehibhatiomhan, Scott
Goal: Meite 68
West Ham United: Fabiański (Areola 46), Coufal (Ashby 62), Zouma (Diop 46), Aguerd (Ogbonna 62), Johnson (Cresswell 62), Downes (Coventry 62), Lanzini (Rice 46), Bowen (Chesters 62), Benrahma (Fornals 46), Vlašić (Masuaku 62), Antonio (Mubama 46)
Subs: Randolph (GK)
Goal: Vlašić 51
Referee: Keith Stroud