West Ham beat Brentford on penalties to move into the FA Cup quarter-finals

[p]Nuno Espirito Santo's side twice blew the lead as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bowen-jarrod/pW170H9K/"]Jarrod Bowen[/a]'s double was cancelled out by an [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-thiago/MmJb4MzQ/"]Igor Thiago[/a] brace to force extra time at the London Stadium.[/p][p]But in the shootout, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a] winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ouattara-dango/GvqREHp3/"]Ouattara[/a] attempted a chipped 'Panenka' penalty, and saw it saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham[/a] keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/areola-alphonse/phOf2OAa/"]Alphonse Areola[/a].[/p][p]It was an awful mistake by the Burkina Faso international, and West Ham made him pay. Bowen, Valentin Castellanos, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wilson-callum/YwKMvtoh/"]Callum Wilson[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/soucek-tomas/8zWzYFRF/"]Tomas Soucek[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mavropanos-konstantinos/zBXgM0Xa/"]Konstantinos Mavropanos[/a] all converted their spot-kicks, ensuring West Ham will host [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leeds/tUxUbLR2/"]Leeds[/a] in April for a place in the semi-finals.[/p][p]The East London club's first FA Cup quarter-final for 10 years is a welcome respite in a difficult season.[/p][p]They sit third bottom of the Premier League table, behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Nottingham Forest[/a] on goal difference, with nine games to save themselves from crashing into the Championship.[/p][p]Seventh in the Premier League and in contention for European qualification, Brentford missed the chance to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1989.[/p][embed guid="d385e6e8-f2fe-497f-8f8a-a46f6d21ba03" url="https://x.com/WestHam/status/2031134253195354194" social-type="twitter" /][p]Haunted by the threat of relegation, Nuno made seven changes to the side that won at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a] in the league last week as he prioritised their survival bid.[/p][p][b]West Ham took the lead in the 19th minute when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-mateus/rFdshPHI/"]Mateus Fernandes[/a]' cross to the far post was headed down by Tomas Soucek, and Bowen reacted quickest to steer past Brentford keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kelleher-caoimhin/4S8JqWN0/"]Caoimhin Kelleher[/a].[/b][/p][p][b]Brentford drew level nine minutes later as Thiago glanced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/collins-nathan/4AmU39Qm/"]Nathan Collins[/a]' header into the net with his chest, the goal surviving a VAR check for a potential handball and offside.[/b][/p][p]The Hammers moved back ahead in the 34th minute when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/traore-adama/Qsy3Kmgj/"]Adama Traore[/a] was tripped inside the penalty area by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kayode-michael/CrxJQ1Q8/"]Michael Kayode[/a]. Andy Madley didn't give the spot-kick, but VAR official Constantine Hatzidakis told the referee to consult the pitch-side monitor, and he changed his mind after watching the incident again.[/p][p][b]Unfazed by the lengthy delay, Bowen sent Kelleher the wrong way from the spot.[/b][/p][p]Collins' header was cleared off the line by Ollie Scarles before West Ham's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/disasi-axel/Q32vx71U/"]Axel Disasi[/a] missed a golden opportunity, scuffing his chance from close-range after Kelleher denied Soucek.[/p][p]Kelleher made another fine save from Soucek on the stroke of half-time.[/p][image alt="Key stats" id="7700cb93-f630-4b0d-abf8-2be7a3f14258" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="a26e9251-f672-4e73-bc2b-a181fef18247" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Bowen was unable to complete a hat-trick as Kelleher produced yet another good stop from the England forward in the second half.[/p][p][b]West Ham's misses came back to haunt them in the 81st minute when Brentford equalised to force extra time. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/summerville-crysencio/EaRET7t6/"]Crysencio Summerville[/a] conceded the penalty with a push on Kayode, and Thiago stepped up to fire home from the spot.[/b][/p][p]The Brazilian forward has 21 goals in all competitions in his breakthrough campaign as he pushes for a place in his country's World Cup squad.[/p][p]Having used all their substitutes, West Ham finished extra-time with 10 men after Summerville hobbled off in the closing moments.[/p][p]However, they still managed to prevail in the shootout.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brentford-xYe7DwID/west-ham-Cxq57r8g/?mid=ny8tqO15"]Catch up on the match here[/a].[/b][/p][embed guid="1205ccfd-fe8d-4688-a2d4-ee954a647472" url="https://x.com/WestHam/status/2031135364526522656" social-type="twitter" /]