West Ham defeat Brentford 5-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, with Jarrod Bowen scoring twice at London Stadium.
West Ham United booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals after defeating Brentford 5-3 on penalties following a dramatic 2-2 draw. The fifth-round clash at London Stadium produced four goals and plenty of tension. Jarrod Bowen and Igor Thiago both scored twice before the match was decided from the spot.
The Hammers held their nerve in the shootout, converting all five penalties. Brentford’s Dango Ouattara saw his attempted Panenka saved by Alphonse Areola, allowing Konstantinos Mavropanos to score the decisive kick.
West Ham started brightly and took the lead in the 19th minute through captain Jarrod Bowen. Brentford struggled to clear a corner, and the loose ball fell kindly for Bowen to finish from close range.
Brentford responded well and equalised nine minutes later. Nathan Collins’ header found Igor Thiago in the box, and the Brazilian forward diverted the ball into the net for his 20th goal of the season.
The hosts regained the lead in the 34th minute from the penalty spot. Michael Kayode tripped Adama Traore inside the area, and Bowen stepped up to send goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher the wrong way.
Brentford refused to fade and pushed for another equaliser in the second half. Their persistence paid off in the 81st minute when Kayode was pushed in the box by Crysencio Summerville. Thiago calmly converted the resulting penalty to level the tie at 2-2. Both teams created chances late in normal time, but neither could find a winner before the final whistle.
Extra time brought more attacking moments. Substitute Callum Wilson forced a fine one-handed save from Kelleher, while Brentford also threatened on the break. Despite the opportunities, the deadlock remained and the tie moved to penalties.
Bowen was the standout performer on the night with two goals and a confident penalty in the shootout. His brace continued a remarkable scoring record against Brentford across competitions. Thiago also impressed for the visitors. His two goals kept Brentford alive throughout the match and highlighted his strong form this season.
The decisive moment came during the shootout when Ouattara attempted a Panenka. Areola read the effort easily and caught the ball, leaving Brentford chasing the game. West Ham converted every penalty through Bowen, Valentin Castellanos, Callum Wilson and Tomas Soucek. Mavropanos then smashed the final kick into the top corner to send the home fans into celebration.
The game was closely contested across 120 minutes. West Ham registered 18 shots with an expected goals value of 2.85. Brentford finished with 17 attempts and a slightly higher expected goals figure of 3.09.
Bowen now has nine career goals against Brentford across all competitions. Since Brentford reached the Premier League in 2021-22, only a few players have matched his scoring record against them. The victory sends West Ham into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
West Ham return to Premier League action on Saturday with a home match against Manchester City. Brentford, meanwhile, will prepare for a league clash against Wolves next Monday. The Hammers will host Leeds United in the FA Cup quarter-finals during the weekend of April 4-5.
