Six of the best Upton Park goals ahead of West Ham United’s farewell home match
Published:
Lee Gormley | May 9, 2016
Best Upton Park goals before final game
West Ham United are preparing for their final ever Premier League outing at Upton Park, before Slaven Bilic’s Hammers make the long-awaited switch to the Olympic Stadium this summer.
The east Londoners will welcome Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United to the famous ground which has been home of the capital club for 112 years, where past heroes such as Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Trevor Brooking and Billy Bonds, among many others, have graced the turf.
Bilic’s current set-up are still in the hunt for a Champions League position for next season and their final Upton Park tussle with the Red Devils, which they are 11/5 with Coral to win, could decide who secures that coveted European spot.
So, ahead of the Hammers’ farewell clash at their long-standing home ground, here are six of the best goals ever to be scored at Upton Park. Enjoy…
Frank Lampard Snr, 1972
We start way back in 1972, when West Ham’s line-up featured the likes of Brooking, Hurst and Pop Robson, and it was Frank Lampard Snr that grabbed the pick of the goals at Upton Park, in an eventual 3-3 home draw with Derby County.
Lampard Snr’s son and namesake later went on to don the famous claret and blue too, and didn’t do too badly later in his career with Chelsea, but it was the now 67-year-old that fired in a memorable strike in this clash, for a club he represented for 18 years at senior level.
Paolo Di Canio, 2000
Arguably the greatest goal ever scored at the long-serving home of the Hammers came from colourful Italian Paolo Di Canio, with the Rome-born former attacker having dazzled the crowd with an incredible volley against Wimbledon.
Marc-Vivien Foe had picked out Trevor Sinclair on the right flank and the latter midfielder sent a lofted cross towards goal, with Di Canio then connecting with a sensational volley for one of the best ever goals scored in England’s top-flight.
Trevor Sinclair, 2000
In a league clash with Charlton Athletic in 2000, Sinclair produced a moment of magic when plucking the ball from the sky after a headed clearance, before rattling in a rocket from 25 yards out.
During an eventual 5-0 Boxing Day victory, Sinclair gave the Upton Park faithful a seasonal gift to remember, with his outrageous volley arrowing past despairing Charlton stopper Dean Kiely, on a day when Di Canio, Lampard (Jnr) and Frederic Kanoute also got in on the act.
Joe Cole, 2002
Before his impressive days at Stamford Bridge, Joe Cole was busy lighting up Upton Park, and his left-footed curler past capital rivals Arsenal in 2002 showcased the former England forward’s astute technical abilities, as he gave a helpless David Seaman no chance.
Carlos Tevez, 2007
Following his shocking move to West Ham from Corinthians in 2006, along with Javier Mascherano, it took Argentine ace Carlos Tevez a long time to open his Hammers account, scoring his first goal in January 2007 despite making his debut in September 2006.
Although his maiden strike was definitely worth the wait, as he sent a pinpoint free-kick sailing into the top left corner against London rivals Tottenham, getting the better of Paul Robinson, before ripping off his shirt and jumping in the crowd amid ecstatic fans who engulfed the striker in celebration.
Dimitri Payet, 2016
Coral’s list of Upton Park strikes fittingly ends with a current Hammers star, Dimitri Payet, with the France playmaker having perfectly placed a free-kick into the top right corner against Crystal Palace earlier this year.
The West Ham maestro has been one of the signings of this enthralling season and is set for a big summer on home soil for Euro 2016, but you can relive his stunning set-piece strike over the Eagles right here.
Related
