West Ham United have a new stadium.
Having played their football at the Boelyn Ground/Upton Park since the time of Genghis Khan, the club’s owners struck a deal to move into the stadium that held London’s Olympic Games in 2012. Almost exactly four years to the day that the Games started, West Ham played their first game in the imaginatively named ‘London Stadium’.
As far as opening fixtures in a brand spanking new stadium go, they don’t come much bigger than a Europa League Third qualifying round second leg against the third best team in Slovenia. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, West Ham quickly turned the tie on its head with a couple of first half goals from Cheikhou Kouyaté giving them a half time lead on the night and on aggregate. To make life a little easier, one of the Slovenian players went and got himself red carded, too.
Undoubtedly a momentous night for all those whose blood flows claret and blue (if that makes any sense), supporters of rival clubs were quick to congratulate West Ham on their new home.
https://twitter.com/grahamruthven/status/761266842103144448
Some simply praised the look of the stadium as it hosted its first football match…
Look at the state of West Ham's "new stadium" an absolute joke. pic.twitter.com/3ZcSmZ8Nn5
— thebhoy72 (@thebhoy72) August 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/davidokeefe/status/761290551081766912
https://twitter.com/Stephenlucas9/status/761289540992692224
https://twitter.com/JP_SUFC/status/761295457184284672
https://twitter.com/carefreejamal/status/761292887338409984
While others used the occasion to focus on who paid for the stadium’s construction…
https://twitter.com/ianrobo1/status/761295662176673793
West Ham winning at the Tax Payer Stadium….
— Phil Rugman (@Namgur45) August 4, 2016
Looks like a great stadium the tax payers have bought West Ham . #WHUFC
— keith☀☀✨ (@oshhhhhhhhhhhvw) August 4, 2016
A third goal from Sofiane Feghouli made absolutely sure of Slaven Bilic’s side’s place in the next round of Europa League qualifiers. A truly memorable night for the club – surely everyone wishes them well for the season ahead in their new ground?
https://twitter.com/Eliassssss__/status/761278631373074432
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