West Ham United edged past Queens Park Rangers in extra time to reach the FA Cup fourth round, with Taty Castellanos scoring the decisive goal and offering respite to head coach Nuno Espírito Santo after a long winless run. The 2-1 victory, West Ham’s first since early November, did little to disguise broader concerns, as Championship opposition pushed them deep into the contest at the London Stadium.
Castellanos impressed throughout, raising hope that West Ham may finally have solved a long-running striker problem, while Crysencio Summerville also stood out, scoring once and supplying the assist for the winner. The FA Cup provided temporary relief from Premier League worries, though the performance again exposed defensive fragility and a lack of cohesion. Nuno admitted the win lifted the mood but acknowledged further reinforcements are needed during a difficult transfer window.
QPR, led by Julien Stéphan, earned plaudits for forcing extra time and briefly levelled through Richard Kone, unsettling a restless home crowd. Ultimately, Summerville’s late burst and cross allowed Castellanos to head home the winner, sparing West Ham further embarrassment. While progress in the Cup offers encouragement, the match underlined that tougher tests lie ahead if West Ham are to avoid a slide towards the second tier.
