Premier League
West Ham United 3 (Castellanos 67’, Bowen 79’, Wilson 90+4')
Leeds United 0
West Ham: Hermansen (GK), Walker-Peters, Disasi, Summerville, Castellanos (Kante 88'), Diouf, Mavropanos, Fernandes, Pablo (Wilson 46’), Bowen (C), Souček. Subs not used: Areola (GK), Kilman, Lamadrid, Magassa, Wan-Bissaka, Scarles, Potts.
Leeds: Darlow (GK), Bogle (Buonanotte 78’), Ampadu (C), Struijk, Rodon, Calvert-Lewin (Gnonto 69’), Aaronson (Bornauw 90'), Nmecha, Bijol (James 69’), Tanaka (Piroe 78’), Justin. Subs not used: Perri (GK), Byram, Chadwick, Cresswell.
Venue: London Stadium
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: TBC
Booked: Bijol, Aaronson, Ampadu (Leeds)
In sweltering conditions, Daniel Farke’s Leeds United rounded off what has been a fine first campaign back in the Premier League with defeat against West Ham United at the London Stadium.
Amassing an impressive 47 points, a 14th-placed finish and a trip to Wembley in the Emirates FA Cup, the Whites can look back on the 2025/26 season with fond memories.
Disappointingly for the hosts, the Hammers were unable to avoid the drop as results went against them elsewhere and will be playing their football next term in the Sky Bet Championship.
With two changes to the starting XI that beat Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, play got underway in glorious sunshine in the capital with Leeds on the front foot as Jayden Bogle found Brenden Aaronson though, on the edge of the area, the American was dispossessed by a retreating claret and blue shirt.
Then, when James Justin raced onto a deep cross at the back post and fired back across goal, forward Lukas Nmecha was unable to direct a snapshot on target.
In the home team’s first real venture forward, Pablo drilled a strike low and hard that cannoned off Hammers’ midfielder Tomáš Souček and looped over Karl Darlow’s crossbar.
The goalkeeper was equal to a Mateus Fernandes drive from distance moments later before play temporarily came to a halt for a drinks break, such were the conditions in East London.
After the half-hour mark, a mazy run into the penalty area saw Nmecha twist and turn one way and another before laying the ball off for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Searching for a 16th goal of the season in all competitions, the striker forced a fantastic sprawling save from Mads Hermansen.
It was defender Konstantinos Mavropanos’ turn next to block a Calvert-Lewin attempt, this time from a narrow angle, with Bogle rifling behind following up.
Approaching the break, West Ham’s Taty Castellanos stooped to meet a dangerous cross from the right, heading over the upright and then shortly afterwards, somehow, Darlow scrambled to collect on his own goalline after El Hadji Malick Diouf’s low delivery caused problems in the United area.
The Hammers went desperately close to opening the scoring second prior to the half-time whistle. Jarrod Bowen had kept alive a cross and Pablo looked to profit but crashed a half-volley into the side netting.
HALF TIME: West Ham United 0-0 Leeds United
Farke’s side emerged from the interval unchanged and the second half was frenetic in its infancy. Firstly, marauding to the edge of the area, Aaronson struck low forcing a crucial stop by Hermansen low to the keeper’s right.
Down the other end, substitute Callum Wilson released Castellanos but just yards out, a sublime recovery from Pascal Struijk dispossessed the forward allowing Darlow to collect.
Former Whites forward Crysencio Summerville then darted in from the left flank. The ball took a fortunate ricochet and bundled the way of the lively Castellanos who lashed a wayward effort high and wide.
There was no denying the Argentine with just over 20 minutes of play remaining, finding space to meet a Bowen corner kick and heading beyond Darlow to give the hosts hope in the battle to avoid the drop.
Looking to react, the boss turned to his bench and introduced Willy Gnonto and Daniel James into the action, replacing Calvert-Lewin and Jaka Bijol respectively.
Further alterations came as Bogle and Ao Tanaka made way for Facundo Buonanotte and Joël Piroe but it would be the Hammers who grabbed the next goal as Bowen fired home 11 minutes from time.
Rounding off 2025/26 Premier League action, Wilson ran through on goal before cutting back and forcing a reactionary stop from Darlow.
From the resulting corner, the West Ham forward found the back of the net from range to make it three, the last kick of the game as Anthony Taylor blew the final whistle.
FULL TIME: West Ham United 3-0 Leeds United
