West Ham and Southampton split the points in a scrappy but spirited 1-1 draw at the London Stadium. Jarrod Bowen looked to have sealed it for the Hammers early in the second half, but Southampton’s late pressure finally told in stoppage time through Lesley Ugochukwu. Based on the xG (WHU 1.2 – SOU 1.6), a draw feels fair, but the Saints will feel they were closer to the win.

? Key Stats

xG: West Ham 1.19 – Southampton 1.64

Shots: West Ham 10 – Southampton 15

Touches in Opponent Box: West Ham 18 – Southampton 22

Possession: West Ham 46% – Southampton 54%

Southampton were more fluid in build-up, completing more passes in advanced zones and keeping Aréola busier than they would’ve liked. West Ham’s offense, in contrast, leaned heavily on moments from Paquetà and Bowen rather than sustained possession.

? Match Momentum

The momentum graph paints a rollercoaster: West Ham dominated the middle third of the game, culminating in Bowen’s 47’ goal (xG: 0.22). But after the 70-minute mark, Southampton took over, piling on shots from distance and eventually leveling with Ugochukwu’s 93’ effort (xG: 0.29).

It was late drama, but fully deserved based on the match flow.

? Shot Maps Breakdown

Southampton: 15 shots, 1.64 xG, 1 goal

Southampton sprayed shots across the final third and showed far more creativity around the box, while West Ham were more selective—5 of their 10 attempts came from inside the box.

West Ham: 10 shots, 1.19 xG, 1 goal

Both teams scored from high-quality chances near the six-yard area.

? Shot-on-Goal Maps

Southampton hit the target four times, generating 0.46 xG on those shots. But what tells the story is how widespread their efforts were—10 off-target shots and five blocked. They were busy but not always precise.

West Ham were more efficient, hitting the target with fewer shots, but didn’t generate enough volume to truly threaten pulling away.

? Tactical Insights via Pass Maps

Southampton’s Setup: They relied on Ugochukwu and Downes as pivots with Manning and Walker-Peters wide for ball progression. They built patiently and spread the pitch well.

West Ham’s Structure: A compact midfield triangle of Ward-Prowse, Paquetà, and Soler aimed to feed Kudus and Bowen down the flanks. The full-backs stayed deep, suggesting a cautious shape focused on transitions.

All square, but both teams will walk away with mixed feelings. West Ham had control but couldn’t close the door. Southampton kept pushing and finally got their reward