LONDON, CMC – Reggae Boyz target Mikail Antonio sealed all three points with the final goal to equal a club scoring record after missing a penalty, as West Ham United twice came from behind to defeat Newcastle United in their English Premier League opener at St James’ Park on Sunday.
With the game level at 2-2, Antonio stepped up to take the spot-kick after Pablo Fornals was adjudged to have been fouled by Jacob Murphy inside the box.
Antonio saw his penalty kept out by debutant goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, but Tomas Soucek reacted quickest to the rebound to put the Hammers ahead for the first time.
The 31-year-old Antonio then wrapped up the win on 66 minutes, firing in a rocket for his 47th Premier League goal for the Hammers to equal Paolo di Canio’s record in the competition for the club.
Born in the United Kingdom to Jamaican parents, Antonio has in the past been included in senior England squads but never made his debut. He has been courted by the Jamaica Football Federation and recent UK media reports said the player had committed his future to the Caribbean powerhouses.
Callum Wilson, 29, who is of Jamaican descent, had put Newcastle ahead after just five minutes, heading home Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross to the delight of the 50,000 fans in the stadium.
West Ham equalised midway through the half after a VAR review ruled Aaron Cresswell’s cross-shot had gone all the way into the net untouched, but Newcastle regained the lead just before the break when Murphy headed in Matt Ritchie’s cross.
West Ham then levelled again soon after the restart as Said Benrahma headed home.
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce, who was unable to include his new £25 million (US$34.6 million) signing Joe Willock, a midfielder of Montserratian descent, was incensed by the penalty decision – and his team’s defensive display – as the visitors scored three times in 21 minutes after the break.