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Watford 1 - West Ham 1: Andre Ayew rescues point for 10-man Hammers
ANDRE AYEW climbed off the bench to rescue a point for battling 10-man West Ham.
Andre Ayew celebrates after scoring West Ham's equaliser against Watford
The Hammers were trailing to Troy Deeney’s third-minute penalty until Ghana forward Ayew tucked in the rebound after Michail Antonio’s shot had hit both posts.
It was no more than West Ham deserved, but they had to hold out for the final five minutes with 10 men after Antonio was sent off for a second yellow card.
It was also a bitter-sweet evening for Watford’s former West Ham winger Mauro Zarate, who won his side’s penalty but was carried off with a serious-looking knee injury before half-time.
Troy Deeney opening the scoring for Watford from the penalty spot
Zarate had an immediate impact against his former side, darting into the area before being sent sprawling by Cheikhou Kouyate.
Deeney rolled in the penalty for his fourth goal in five Premier League games.
West Ham pushed for an equaliser and Younes Kaboul did superbly to block a goalbound Robert Snodgrass shot.
Snodgrass should have levelled in first-half stoppage time when Heurelho Gomes pushed Aaron Cresswell’s cross straight to the winger, but Watford cleared.
Michail Antonio being shown a red card after picking up a second yellow at Vicarage Road
Worryingly, Zarate had collapsed to the ground in the build-up to that chance after twisting his knee awkwardly, and he needed lengthy treatment and oxygen before he was carried off.
After the break West Ham boss Slaven Bilic was furious when Kouyate was wrestled to the ground by M’Baye Niang in the area, only for referee Craig Pawson to wave play on.
But the leveller arrived in bizarre fashion in the 73rd minute after Antonio outpaced Kaboul before seeing his shot clip the near post, roll along the goalline and back out off the far post – and record signing Ayew slotted home.
Then Antonio, booked in the first half, deliberately handled the ball after he had been tackled and was shown a second yellow card, but the Hammers survived a late onslaught to hold on for a point.