West Ham Hit Four Goals Past Gent To Reach Another European Semi-Final

West Ham 4-1 Gent (5-2 on agg). West Ham United will compete in a European semi-final for the second successive season after thrashing Gent 4-1 in London.

West Ham 4-1 Gent (5-2 on agg)

West Ham United will compete in a European semi-final for the second successive season after thrashing Gent 4-1 in London.

The victory saw the Hammers prevail 5-2 on aggregate to reach the final four of the UEFA Europa Conference League, where they will face Holland's AZ Alkmaar.

West Ham, who lost to Frankfurt in the semi-finals of last season's Europa League, had to come from behind against Gent.

Hugo Cuypers, seven days after scoring his side's equalizer in a 1-1 draw in Belgium, volleyed Gent ahead 26 minutes into Thursday's second leg following a poor pass by Lucas Paqueta.

But West Ham were level within 11 minutes when Michail Antonio headed home from a Jarrod Bowen free-kick.

The Hammers then struck three goals in seven second-half minutes to brush their Belgian opponents aside.

Paqueta atoned for his earlier error by converting a penalty kick to put the Hammers in front in the 56th minute.

Declan Rice then found the net to extend the lead before Paqueta set up Antonio to score his second goal of the game.

West Ham's players pictured celebrating a goal during their 4-1 win over Gent :: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Shaun Brooks

The other Conference League semi-final will be between Italian outfit Fiorentina and Basel of Switzerland.

Fiorentina lost 3-2 at home to Lech Poznan on Thursday but progressed 6-4 on aggregate.

Elsewhere, Basel needed extra time to beat Nice 2-1 in France to secure a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Meanwhile, Alkmaar beat Anderlecht in a penalty shootout.

Highlights: West Ham 4-1 Gent