West Ham were denied pen at the last minute as a late goal puts their Europa League hopes in doubt

There was no doubt whether it was Freiburg’s fireworks or West Ham’s waste that did David Moyes down.

Moyes’ already frayed temper was further tested when West Ham were denied a last-minute penalty following a lengthy VAR review over claims of handball against Noah Weisshaupt.

Tomas Soucek protests to referee Alejandro Hernandez after his team was not awarded a penaltyCredit: Getty

The VAR checked a last-minute handball incident for four minutesCredit: Reuters

It was a frustrating evening for David Moyes and his teamCredit: Getty

The frustrated traveling Hammers were left stunned as the German defender’s hand had been well above his head when Tomas Soucek’s desperate effort hit his arm before four minutes of control went against them.

Freiburg fans let out a barrage of firecrackers outside the Hammers hotel at 3.30am on Thursday morning.

And the Londoners spent most of the next night playing as if they had barely slept a wink.

Moyes romped through a poor first half and despite their improvements after the break, where they had chances to win it, it was sloppier play that gave the German side the advantage in this last-16 tie through Michael Gregoritsch’s second-leg tie. half goal.

West Ham conceded the ball far too often and too easily, but headed away the constant crosses from a functional Freiburg.

A better team, and many will be ahead if they can turn this tie around and reach the last eight, they would have exploited time and time again.

But West Ham gave away one chance too many, and when one ball went in they were undone.

Hammers fans had had to deal with delayed flights and canceled German trains to reach Freiburg but would have wondered why they had bothered about a turgid first half.

Lucas Paqueta was a rare bright spark for the HammersCredit: Getty

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Freiburg had most of the ball but did little with it, while West Ham made little effort to win the ball back and gave away possession cheaply.

Moyes and his assistants were not afraid to show their frustration from the touchline as they raged at their players for a frustrating 45 minutes, which did not yield a second of extra time at half-time. A sign that little had happened.

Fuming West Ham assistant Kevin Nolan has to be stopped by Neal Maupay in the tunnel row

The hosts had managed one shot, with Lucas Holer firing straight at Lukasz Fabianski, before the Pole quickly put West Ham to the other end.

Mohammed Kudus clipped a ball against the back post for Jarrod Bowen, who could not connect properly and put the ball wide.

West Ham failed to get a grip on proceedings, although they improved after what will have been a lively half-time exchange from Moyes.

Kudus had a low shot within a minute of the restart, which was stopped at the near post. Lucas Paqueta was on hand to convert Bowen’s cross before it was just taken away from him before Konstantinos Mavropanos hit the post from the resulting corner.

Paqueta had given the ball away far too often in the first half, but became more dangerous after the hour by heading over a Kudus cross at halftime.

As is often the case with West Ham, they do the same when the Brazilian starts playing.

He won the ball deep and put the Hammers away on another counter, which ended when Bowen’s effort was tipped around the post.

It was an excellent save to deny the England winger, but West Ham just didn’t do enough to take control.

As they created more and more chances, Moyes was still furious at their inability to take care of the ball at times – and in the end they were punished.

The Scot had his arms in the air as Edson Alvarez handed the ball in West Ham’s half. It broke Hungarian international Roland Sallai, whose low shot was wayward but was easily tapped in by substitute Gregoritsch.

Having already beaten Freiburg twice in the group stages, there will be confidence that West Ham can pull this off, but it will have to be much better than this.