West Ham United edged past Queens Park Rangers with an extra-time FA Cup win that offered brief relief for manager Nuno Espírito Santo. The Hammers needed 120 minutes to overcome Championship opposition, underlining ongoing concerns despite ending a 64-day wait for victory.
The decisive moment came when new signing Taty Castellanos headed home the winner after a fine assist from Crysencio Summerville, who also scored West Ham’s opener shortly before half-time. QPR had forced extra time through a second-half equaliser from Richard Kone, rewarding a disciplined and energetic display.
While Castellanos’ performance raised hope that West Ham may finally have solved their long-running striker problem, the match again exposed defensive fragility and lack of control. Nuno welcomed the lift in morale but admitted further reinforcements are needed. For now, the FA Cup has briefly masked Premier League anxieties, though sterner tests lie ahead if West Ham are to avoid a slide toward the Championship.
