West Ham United Football Club News

• Nickname:Hammers
• Founded:1895
• Manager:Sam Allardyce

• Ground:Upton Park
• Capacity:35,595

Pardew upbeat despite loss

15 Sep 2006 - 09:02:35

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West Ham United boss Alan Pardew thinks his side can still progress in the UEFA Cup despite the disappointing 1-0 loss to Palermo in Thursday's first round first leg clash at Upton Park.

Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano made their first starts for the Hammers but they were unable to prevent last season's FA Cup finalists slipping to defeat.

Andrea Caracciolo's first-half goal gave the Italian team a crucial lead but Pardew is confident his side can win at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in two weeks' time.

"On a performance level, in terms of two fighters in the ring, I thought that we were pretty evenly matched and the second leg will be an interesting, psychological game," the former Reading manager told the Hammers' official website.

"With that 1-0 lead it will be interesting to see just how they approach the tie at their place. We know what we're going to do, though - we'll be taking the game straight to them.

"If they use similar tactics to tonight then that will not present us with a problem and if they open up that'll suit us too. With one or two breaks out there, it could be a very different result indeed.

"We did enough to suggest that, even though we lost, Palermo will still be in some fear of us. As far as I'm concerned, this tie is still very evenly poised."