West Ham stars dedicate vital win to Antonio after horror car crash

LONDON: West Ham stars Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek dedicated Monday´s vital 2-1 win over Wolves to Michail Antonio as their team-mate recovers from a horrific car crash.

Jamaica striker Antonio needed surgery on a lower limb fracture after being cut out of his Ferrari following the terrifying accident in Epping. West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui admitted it was a “miracle” the 34-year-old had survived the crash.

Hammers fans held a minute´s applause for Antonio in the ninth minute to match his shirt number. And on a night when Antonio was never far from West Ham´s thoughts, Bowen celebrated his superb 72nd minute winner by holding aloft his team-mate´s jersey.

“That meant everything. 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,” Bowen said. Soucek had put West Ham ahead before Matt Doherty´s equaliser and the Czech midfielder admitted it was an emotional moment.

“The goal was for him. I dedicated it to him. I said before the game I really wanted to score even more today,” Soucek said. “He´s been here since I came here. He is really my favourite. I said it would be tough for me to play without him.

“I´m happy that he is doing fine. He is a massive player and he is in my heart. It was really tough for us. “I was so scared what was going to happen. It was a really tough week for him, his family and us.”

Antonio, who had appeared in all of West Ham´s Premier League games this term prior to the crash, is being monitored in hospital after his operation. Soucek revealed his friend inspired West Ham´s win over their relegation rivals by speaking to the players before the clash at the London Stadium.

“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,” he said. “He is a really lovely guy and also funny. He even made a few jokes before the game and he wished us all the best.”