West Ham United secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, dedicating the win to their teammate Michail Antonio, who is recovering from a severe car accident.
The match, held at the London Stadium, was marked by emotional tributes and a strong sense of unity among players and fans alike.
The incident that shook the team occurred on December 7, when Antonio, a key player for West Ham, was involved in a horrific car crash in Epping.
The Jamaican striker, aged 34, suffered a lower limb fracture and underwent surgery after being extricated from his Ferrari.
Despite the severity of the accident, West Ham's manager Julen Lopetegui described Antonio's survival as a "miracle."
During the match, Hammers fans paid tribute to Antonio with a minute’s applause in the ninth minute, symbolizing his jersey number.
Jarrod Bowen, who scored the winning goal in the 72nd minute, celebrated by holding up Antonio's jersey, a gesture that resonated deeply with the crowd.
"That meant everything," Bowen expressed. "To share that moment, he’s not here with us but I’m sure he was watching and the fans, you heard them. An emotional couple of days."
Tomas Soucek, who opened the scoring for West Ham, also dedicated his goal to Antonio. Reflecting on the emotional weight of the game, Soucek stated, "The goal was for him. I dedicated it to him. I said before the game I really wanted to score even more today."
Antonio, who had been a consistent presence in all of West Ham’s Premier League matches this season prior to the accident, remains under hospital observation.
His influence on the team was palpable, as Soucek revealed that Antonio inspired the squad with a video call before the match. "We had a video call with him, the whole team, before the game. He smiled to us and gave us all the best. I can’t wait to visit him," Soucek shared.
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