The tie is delicately poised after a 1-1 draw in Belgium, part of West Ham’s current run of three matches unbeaten (W1, D2).
The London Stadium has been a European stronghold for the Hammers this term as they’ve won all five UECL matches here, keeping clean sheets in the most recent two.
With relegation fears easing, the West Ham faithful will hope for another memorable European night some 59 years after their first ever UEFA competition match in London, which was coincidentally against Gent, or St Gantoise as they were then known.
A 1-1 draw that night wasn’t enough for the Belgians, but their first-leg loss in that tie remains their only European defeat to an English club (W1, D3), so they’ll be hopeful of extending their current unbeaten competitive run which stretches back to late February (W5, D4).
However, since the last three of those games were all 1-1 draws, a repeat of their penalty shootout win over Qarabağ in the knockout round play-off could be required.
The 5-2 aggregate success over Başakşehir in the Round of 16 that followed saw them progress after being held to a home draw, which is precisely what they’re trying to emulate here.
That was their only UECL away win in seven attempts (D2, L4) so they may come to rue not taking more of the chances they spurned in the first leg.
Players to watch: Look out for Jarrod Bowen after the break as his last three goals for West Ham arrived between half-time and the 55th minute.
After needing just three minutes and 25 seconds to score the quickest recorded hat-trick in UEFA competition history in the last round, Gent’s Gift Orban could be a threat at any moment.
Hot streak: Gent haven’t scored goals in both halves of any of their last nine UECL games (W3, D3, L3).
