Adama Traore believes West Ham United can avoid relegation this season if they maintain the fighting spirit they showed in their FA Cup defeat to Leeds United on Sunday.
The Hammers exited the competition in dramatic fashion at the quarter-final stage last Sunday, suffering a penalty shootout loss despite initially coming back from a two-goal deficit.
Leeds were 2-0 ahead heading into stoppage-time, but West Ham scored twice in stoppage-time through Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi to level the scoreline and send the match into extra-time, before eventually losing on penalties.
However, the Hammers are 18th on the Premier League standings and are just a single point off the drop zone with just seven matches left to play this season.
Reacting to the defeat, Traore expressed disappointment at the result but was confident the team can still salvage their season by retaining their top-flight status.
“I’m sad because of how we lost but we have to take the positives from the game,” Traore admitted.
“We showed great fighting spirit and fought until the end. It’s unfortunate that we lost on penalties but we’ll try to improve and be better in our next game.
“We need to move on because this game is now already in the past. I believe we can stay up and the feeling would’ve been better if it was a win, but there were positives”, he added.
Traore joined West Ham in January on a deal until the end of the season which includes the option of an additional year and provided the assist for Disasi’s equalizer in the clash.
“I love the identity of the club and the fans who are passionate like myself. I want to play and do well under a manager I know”, the former Fulham winger continued.
West Ham will continue the race to retain their Premier League status when they face bottom-placed Wolves in the league on Friday.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
