‘Sad for our fans’ - Nuno reacts to wild FA Cup loss that saw Danny Dyer & Hammers faithful put through the wringer before Leeds dashed Wembley dreams in penalty shootout

Nuno described the evening as a "very emotional game from the beginning till the end" after witnessing his side fall in the most dramatic of fashions. The Hammers appeared to be dead and buried as they trailed 2-0 deep into stoppage time, following goals from Ao Tanaka and a Dominic Calvert-Lewin penalty.

However, a stunning late rally saw Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi find the net in the 93rd and 96th minutes to send the home crowd into a frenzy - with Football Factory and EastEnders actor Danny Dyer among those in attendance, as he cheered on son-in-law Jarrod Bowen from the stands.

"For the boys, it's sad, it's sad, it's sad for us, especially for our fans, the way they saw the second half, us reacting, chasing the game, creating the best chances, hitting balls in the post," Nuno remarked.

Despite West Ham’s dominance in the additional 30 minutes, including having goals ruled out for offside and striking the woodwork, they could not find the winner their pressure deserved before the lottery of spot-kicks took over.

The drama intensified late in extra-time when first-choice goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was forced off with an injury. This paved the way for a senior debut for Finley Herrick, who was thrust into the spotlight for the shootout. The England U20 international made an immediate impact by saving Leeds' first penalty from Joel Piroe, but misses from Bowen and Pablo Felipe ultimately proved fatal for the hosts' ambitions - leaving Dyer, who had led singing in the crowd, to mull over what could have been.

Nuno reflected on the missed opportunity to settle the tie earlier, stating: "I think we did enough to avoid the penalty shootout, but today was not to be. In the previous round we came through to the penalty shootout and we said that we were efficient, but today we were not so efficient."

The decisive blow was struck by Pascal Struijk, whose successful penalty officially secured Leeds' progression to the semi-finals and a date with Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.

With their cup journey at an end, West Ham must now pivot their attention back to the top-flight. Nuno stressed the importance of the team's resilience, saying: "But the way we reacted in the game itself, the way we chased the game, it's the proof that we don't give up and we have a big, big mission on our hands. That's what is required for the job that we have to keep going until the end."

The manager is under no illusions regarding the physical toll the 120-minute battle has taken on his squad. "Now it's time to recover. It's 120 minutes, it's tough. We'll try to recover our players and play the game on Friday. Again, London Stadium is going to be so important for us. The atmosphere that we created today, we have to create it for the game, for the matches moving forward," he added, looking ahead to the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The loss marks a difficult return to action following the international break, but Nuno is determined to use the experience as a building block for the rest of the season. He noted: "There were good performances and there were not so good performances. It's always tough returning from an international break. It's always hard but, at the same time, it's a lesson that we learn for our future".

Concluding his post-match thoughts, the Portuguese coach emphasized the need for a quick mental reset for everyone at the club. "We need it, we need it, we need it. We need all the players. That's the proof. The third goalkeeper came in the game. We're going to need all the players, all the players and all the fans that can help us. We're going to be ready for Wolves on Friday", he finished.

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