Gary Lineker hails West Ham ace Tomas Soucek after ‘scary’ moment versus Crystal Palace
Gary Lineker has lauded Tomas Soucek following his reaction to a “scary” incident concerning a ballboy in West Ham United’s win at Crystal Palace.
Speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day [24 August], Lineker praised the Czech international after he and team-mate Jarrod Bowen dragged the young boy from underneath the advertising boards at Selhurst Park, which had fallen on him during the chaos of the Hammers supporters’ celebrations for Soucek’s goal.
Soucek and his teammates ensured the child was okay, and Bowen revealed to MOTD afterwards that he had given him his match shirt as a gift after the England man sealed the 2-0 away victory.
Lineker reacted to Bowen’s interview clip: “That’s good to hear, it looked a bit scary for a moment.
“And well done to Tomas Soucek as well for getting him out.”
West Ham United do their bit on and off the pitch
The reaction of the West Ham United players to the ballboy in immediately interrupting their opening goal celebrations upon noticing the situation was warm to see.
Especially so when you hear of Bowen’s gesture after the game, and that it was the scorer Soucek himself who paused his adrenaline rush to check the welfare of the boy.
In terms of the match itself, the Irons secured a crucial win on their short trip south of the Thames and are now off the mark under Julen Lopetegui, with Soucek one of the long-serving players looking to prove himself.
Despite just three of the team’s 18 shots being on target, that chance creativity is there and Lopetegui’s men did enough to take a convincing victory back to the East End ahead of successive home games against Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup and then champions Manchester City in the Premier League.
Lopetegui again started just two of the club’s exciting clutch of summer signings at Selhurst Park, but the introductions of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Niclas Fullkrug early in the second half did help turn the tide and could convince the Spaniard to shuffle the pack against City.
In other West Ham news, an ACL injury scare in the women’s team.
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