TSC Backa Topola 0-1 West Ham United - Late Tomas Soucek goal sees Hammers progress to the knockout stages

Tomas Soucek scored a late winner as West Ham beat TSC Backa Topola 1-0 in their Group A Europa League match at the TSC Arena.

The result means that the Hammers qualify for the knockout stages of the competition. However, they will win the group - and avoid a two-legged play-off in February and move straight into the last 16 - if they avoid defeat against Freiburg in their next match.

David Moyes’ side had the majority of the ball in the first half but failed to create anything significant in the final third.

TSC had the first shot on target after seven minutes, working the ball well into forward Uros Milovanovic but the 23-year-old's effort was saved with ease by Lukasz Fabianski.

The first big chance of the game fell the way of TSC after half an hour. Aaron Cresswell played a blind, square pass which was intercepted by Aleksandar Cirkovic who got into a good position before firing an effort straight at Fabianski.

David Moyes made attacking changes in the second half, bringing on Danny Ings and Maxwel Cornet in a bid to improve West Ham’s lacklustre attacking performance.

West Ham found the breakthrough with just one minute of normal time to play. One of Moyes’ substitutes, Maxwel Cornet, whipped in a fantastic ball to the back post and Tomas Soucek was on hand to volley home. It was Soucek's third goal in three matches for West Ham across all competitions - with all goals being winners.

In a match where perhaps neither team deserved to win, the Hammers got the job done to make it 18 European wins from their last 20.

Tomas Soucek’s winner tonight means West Ham are guaranteed of at least a spot in the UEFA Europa League knockout play-off round but David Moyes will be hoping his side can finish the job on MD6 against Freiburg. Both sides come into that clash on 12 points, with West Ham knowing that a draw will be enough to see them top the group and qualify directly for the knockout stages of the competition. Should West Ham lose and Freiburg top the group, the Hammers would then have to drop into the play-offs and face a team dropping into the competition from the UEFA Champions League in a two-legged tie. With such a busy schedule and at such a hectic time of year, Moyes will be hoping his side can finish the job off on the 14th of December and seal top spot in Group A.

In a game that lacked quality for the majority, Tomas Soucek did what Tomas Soucek does and popped up with a vital goal at a vital time. The Czechia international scored an 89th-minute winner in a 3-2 victory against Nottingham Forest, he then scored a 91st-minute winner against Burnley on the weekend and tonight he came up trumps again, netting an 89th-minute winner! Aside from the goal he put in a good performance, completing 46 passes, two key passes, making one tackle and two clearances.

TSC: Ilic 6, Cvetkovic 7, Antonic 7, Stojic 6, Calusic 6, Petrovic 6, Kuveljic 6, Radin 6, Dakovac 6, Cirkovic 6, Milovanovic 6 Subs: Vulic 6, Vlalukin 6, Pantovic 6, Sos N/A

West Ham: Fabianski 6, Cresswell 6, Aguerd 7, Mavropanos 7, Johnson 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Soucek 8, Paqueta 7, Mubama 6, Fornals 6, Benrahma 6 Subs: Cornet 7, Ings 6, Kehrer 6, Emerson 6

7’ FIRST EFFORT ON TARGET - TSC work it well down the right before finding Milovanovic in the middle who strokes his effort straight into the gloves of Fabianski.

32’ A BIG CHANCE FOR TSC! - Aaron Cresswell plays a really poor square pass into the path of Cirkovic who latches onto the ball before firing his effort straight at Lukasz Fabianski.

89’ GOAL! WEST HAM UNITED (SOUCEK) - West Ham have the lead thanks to a terrific finish from Tomas Soucek! Maxwel Cornet whipped in a terrific ball to the back post and Soucek was on hand to volley it home.