Burnley 2-2 West Ham: Flemming’s late double denies Hammers opening-day win at Turf Moor
Burnley staged a stunning late comeback to salvage a point on the opening day of the Championship season, with Zian Flemming’s dramatic double cancelling out a two-goal West Ham lead in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Turf Moor.
It began brightly for the visitors, with Max Kilman heading home a Jarrod Bowen free-kick after peeling away from Aaron Ramsey inside the opening 10 minutes, his first goal in 68 West Ham appearances. The Hammers, widely tipped for an immediate return to the Premier League following relegation, doubled their lead after the break when Manor Solomon rifled home in the 72nd minute to put West Ham firmly in control.
With former manager David Moyes watching on and West Ham dominating possession in front of a vocal away support, the game appeared to be slipping away from Nicky Hayen’s side, who were taking charge of their first league match at the helm. But Burnley refused to buckle. Flemming struck an 83rd-minute penalty to give the hosts hope, before completing his turnaround in stoppage time, finding the net once more to snatch a point at the death.
The comeback denied West Ham what would have been a perfect start under Nuno Espirito Santo, while it handed Hayen a first league point on his 46th birthday and prevented what would have been Burnley’s first home Championship defeat since April 2023. Fresh faces also made their mark on the occasion, with new signings Ugo Raghouber and Max Alleyne both making their Burnley debuts, while Manor Solomon started for the visitors following the arrival of midfielder Arne Engels, who had to settle for a place among the substitutes.
Both clubs return to the second tier for the first time in years having been relegated from the Premier League last season, and this result offers an early snapshot of the season ahead: West Ham showing the quality expected of promotion favourites, but Burnley’s resilience suggesting they won’t be pushovers on their own patch as they bid to bounce straight back up.
