Amidst a fierce relegation battle, West Ham travel 2,000 miles east to a small port city on the southeast coast of Cyprus to face AEK Larnaca in the first leg of their Europa Conference League Round of 16 matchup.
AEK Larnaca sit second in the Cypriot First Division, having another great season domestically and abroad. Only formed 28 years ago upon the merger of two old Cypriot clubs, the Guardians knocked out Ukrainian club Dnipro-1 in the knockout playoff round on a 1-0 aggregate scoreline.
The Hammers, meanwhile, are set to re-start their European journey after topping Group B and earning a bye to this stage. They sit 16th in the Premier League table, just one point above the drop zone and knowing every domestic result counts.
That means David Moyes has a decision to make upon how to maximize the opportunity in European play while not sacrificing energy, fitness, or health in preparation for league fixtures to come.
MORE: Updated Premier League table, with West Ham scrapping for safety amidst relegation fight
AEK Larnaca vs West Ham match facts
- Date: Thursday, March 9
- Kickoff Time: 12:45 pm ET / 5:45 pm GMT / 4:45 am AEDT (Fri, Mar. 10)
- Location: AEK Georgios Karapatakis Arena (Larnaca, Cyprus)
- Official: Espen Eskas (NOR)
- Last meeting: NONE (First meeting)
AEK Larnaca vs West Ham prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Draw (+290)
- Score prediction: AEK Larnaca 1-1 West Ham
There is absolutely an opportunity for AEK Larnaca in this match. They are an exceptional defensive side, and while they will surely be under pressure for much of the match, having home field advantage while the Hammers travel will surely make a difference.
With David Moyes' full focus surely on maintaining Premier League safety, a far more lucrative venture, the West Ham boss may rest key players and give the hosts an opportunity to achieve a positive result.
| BetMGM (USA) | Sports Interaction (Canada) | SkyBet (UK) | Neds (Australia) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEK win | +400 | +395 | 9/2 | 5.50 |
| Draw | +290 | +294 | 13/5 | 3.50 |
| West Ham win | -160 | -159 | 8/13 | 1.62 |
| Both teams to score Y / N | +105 / -145 | -110 / -143 | 1/1, 8/11 | 2.05 / 1.70 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | +100 / -140 | -101 / -127 | 1/1, 8/11 | 2.10 / 1.70 |
| AEK advance | +475 | — | 5/1 | — |
| WHU advance | -1000 | — | 1/9 | — |
AEK Larnaca vs West Ham: Best bet
- Pick: AEK Larnaca double chance
- Odds: +120 (BetMGM)
There's absolutely reason to believe that AEK Larnaca can achieve a first leg result at home. West Ham may be just good enough to stay in the Premier League, but there are clear deficiencies in the squad, and their away form suggests AEK could take full advantage.
While West Ham are unbeaten at home in 2023, they have just two wins in eight road matches across that same timeframe, with one of those against League One side Derby County in the FA Cup. They dropped league points at fellow relegation candidates Leeds United and Wolves, plus defeats at Tottenham, Manchester United, and Brighton, the latter by a massive 4-0 scoreline last time out.
If Larnaca can net even just a single goal, they have a real chance of finding a way through to a positive first leg result.
AEK Larnaca vs West Ham prop bet
- Pick: Both teams to score — YES
- Odds: +105 (BetMGM)
AEK's defensive record in domestic league play is a glittering 21 goals conceded in 26 matches, but that hasn't exactly translated to European competitions. They coughed up three goals to Dynamo Kyiv, two to Partizan Belgrade, four to Fenerbahce, and three to Stade Rennes in Europa League group stage play. Yet in all but one of those aforementioned group stage games, Larnaca also found the back of the net.
While the over might not be a wise selection, expecting each team to bag at least a goal is feasible, and at plus odds, it represents good value.
AEK Larnaca vs West Ham live stream, TV channel
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with fuboTV in USA
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | — | Paramount+, ViX+ |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | BT Sport 3 | BT Sport |
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| New Zealand | — | Spark Sport |
| India | — | — |
| Hong Kong | beIN Sports 4 | beIN Sports Connect |
| Malaysia | beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect, sooka |
| Singapore | beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect, StarHub TV+ |
