UECL Round of 16 First Leg: West Ham vs. AEK Larnaca

Start Time: 11:45 a.m. CST on March 9, 2023

Location: AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus

FanDuel Betting Odds: Larnaca +500; Draw +290; West Ham -175

West Ham (16th in the Premier League); Manager: David Moyes

Recent Results: 0-4 loss vs. Brighton (Premier League); 1-3 loss vs. Manchester United (FA Cup); 4-0 win vs. Nottingham Forest (Premier League).

AEK Larnaca (2nd in Cypriot First Division); Manager: Jose Luis Oltra

Recent Results: 3-1 win vs. Enosis Paralimni (Cypriot First Division); 1-2 loss vs. Apollon Limassol (Cypriot First Division); 0-0 (0-1 Agg.) draw vs. SC Dnipro-1 (Europa Conference League).

Fotmob Lineups:

West Ham United's Europa Conference League journey will continue on Thursday, as they'll take on AEK Larnaca in Cyprus. The Hammers wrapped up the competition's group stage with a perfect record and will look to continue that momentum into the Round of 16.

After disappointment in the semifinal of the Europa League last season, the Hammers have a real shot at silverware in the UECL. West Ham (+350) and Villarreal (+325) are currently the favorites for the competition.

On Thursday, West Ham will travel to Cyprus for the first time in the club's history. Today's hosts defeated Ukraine's SC Dnipro-1 in the Round of 32, and have competed in all three European competitions this season. Jose Luis Oltra's AEK Larnaca wrapped up the 26-match Cypriot First Divison regular season in second place.

Despite their quality in their domestic league, West Ham are levels above them in just about every metric. Even if the Hammers find themselves in a bit of trouble heading into the second half, expect Moyes to bring on Scamacca, Paqueta, Ings, and maybe even Cornet, who is making his official return from injury.

Assume the second leg at the London Stadium will feature several academy talents.

Europa Conference League Round of 16 Prediction: West Ham 4 AEK Larnaca 0

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