West Ham fall to late Aston Villa goal as Lopetegui's home debut ends in disappointment

West Ham United (1) 1 Paqueta pen 37

Aston Villa (1) 2 Onana 4, Duran 79

Julen Lopetegui was given a tough start to life as the new Hammers boss as a slick Villa plundered a late goal to give them a win they had threatened from the outset.

The winner from sub Jhon Duran was a body blow after the Irons had fought back well from a dreadful start to draw level and then start to threaten victory. But in the end, it was the striker they had been linked with earlier in the summer who killed their hopes of getting the new season off to a winning start.

Lopetegui's men did not make it easy for themselves, conceding a soft goal after just four minutes when Amadou Onana was allowed a free header three yards out from a Youri Tielemans corner.

It nearly got worse when Morgan Rogers slalomed at speed down the middle against a retreating defence and it was fortunate his final left foot effort was scuffed and easily turned aside by Alphonse Areola.

Villa looked in rampaging mood and ought to have doubled their lead when Leon Bailey got around Areola, only to thud his final shot against the post from a tight angle and John McGinn rolled a low shot agonisingly wide at the end of a lightning break out of defence - again led by Rogers and Bailey.

After those lucky escapes, the Irons were handed a lifeline out of the blue when Matty Cash brought down Tomas Soucek with a challenge inside the box and ref Tony Harrington decided it was worthy of a spot kick.

Lucas Paqueta made the most of the gift, dinking past Emi Martinez in a classic Brazil v Argentina moment. He now has five out of five in penalties for the Irons.

That goal brought an inevitable mood change and the Hammers could envisage more reward. At the start of the second half, Mo Kudus' rabona picked out Soucek at the far post and it needed a fine block from Lucas Digne to keep it at 1-1.

Duran came off the bench in place of a quiet Ollie Watkins and almost signalled his arrival with a goal - slamming into the side netting when a well timed pass gave him a clear target and only Areola to beat.

Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville came off the bench, as did Danny Ings, who got in a header at goal as the hosts began to make a case for winning it.

Then came the killer goal - with Ian Maatsen and Jacob Ramsey combining well with a couple of deft touches to set up Duran for the low strike which flew under Areola.

There was a late header from Soucek that was blocked with his follow-up over the bar, but the Irons could have few real complaints.

The Hammers travel to Palace next in their bid to get the campaign up and running. It is another of the 10 opening fixtures they have which will all be played in the capital. They are not due to venture out of London until the trip to Forest in early October.

Hammers: (4-2-3-1) Areola - Coufal (Todibo 85), Kilman, Mavropanos, Emerson - Soucek, Rodriguez (Ings 85) - Bowen (Summerville 73), Kudus, Lucas Paqueta (Ward-Prowse 73) - Antonio (Fullkrug 73)

Villa: (4-2-3-1) Martinez - Cash (Nedeljkovic 82), Konsa, Torres, Digne (Maatsen 75) -Onana, Tielemans - Bailey (Philogene 75), Rogers, McGinn (Ramsey 62) - Watkins (Duran 62)