Mohammed Kudus strikes early to help West Ham into Europa League last 16

Laying on European football has long been David Moyes’s way of silencing his critics and, while inconsistent domestic form continues to plague West Ham, they can start planning for another continental adventure after securing first place in their Europa League group with a dominant win over Freiburg.

This was a professional effort from the winners of the Europa Conference League. While both sides were already through, West Ham still needed a point to guarantee progress into the last 16. The alternative was being pitted into a play-off against one of the sides who have dropped down from the Champions League – a tie with Milan could have been on the cards – and Moyes had to be impressed with the way West Ham got the job done with polished goals from Mohammed Kudus and Edson Álvarez during the first half.

There was an authority to the way that West Ham took Freiburg apart. They are seasoned competitors at this level these days, although it would be welcome if they could replicate this level in the Premier League. The mood, after all, had been low after last weekend’s 5-0 hammering by Fulham. Moyes, often accused of being too cautious, still has to do more to convince supporters that he remains the man for the job. He was pleased, though, to see no signs of the sickness bug that has swept through the camp in recent weeks. Freiburg were brushed aside in convincing fashion.

West Ham were determined not to relinquish the advantage gained by their 2-1 win in Germany in October. Kudus was in the mood from the start, dribbling past Jordy Makengo on the right and crossing for Lucas Paquetá to smack the bar from 18 yards out. Paquetá’s misfortune aside, it was a moment of encouragement for West Ham. Kudus clearly had the beating of Makengo and it was not long before he was causing more problems for the Freiburg left-back, drifting off him as the hosts probed for openings and put another patient move together in the 14th minute.

This time the damage came from Kudus losing Makengo with a dart inside off the ball. Was anybody in the away defence talking? Freiburg were too open, too reactive and too slow to pressure the player in possession. It was too easy for Álvarez to lift his head in the middle and float a pass over the top for Kudus, who controlled with his chest before bringing the ball down and opening the scoring by clipping a simple finish past Noah Atubolu.

West Ham settled into an easy rhythm after the 23-year-old’s seventh goal since his £38m move from Ajax. Jarrod Bowen had a goal disallowed for offside after being released by Paquetá. Tomas Soucek volleyed over from an awkward angle. Emerson Palmieri fizzed an inviting ball across the face of goal, only for nobody in claret and blue to attack it.

Eighth in the Bundesliga, Freiburg tried to lift their level. But while Ritsu Doan tested Lukasz Fabianski with a shot from 20 yards, the Germans looked soft. They wanted to play out from the back but Atubolu, their goalkeeper, was shaky when West Ham pressed him.

Freiburg were unable to build any momentum. West Ham continued to dominate and those supporters who have been calling for Moyes’s side to play with more adventure will have enjoyed the second goal. It came from Álvarez driving forward from his defensive midfield position and linking with Bowen, whose clever wall pass sent the Mexican through to grab his first West Ham goal with an emphatic shot.

It was a relief for Moyes to have the former Ajax midfielder back in the starting line-up. It was surely not a coincidence that West Ham’s structure unravelled when illness forced them to drop Álvarez against Fulham. They need Álvarez protecting their back four – Soucek and James Ward-Prowse do not offer the same level of security – and with a comeback from Freiburg never on the cards Moyes welcomed the chance to take him off before the hour.

West Ham wanted to spend the second half conserving energy before hosting Wolves on Sunday. Emerson was denied a third by Atubolu and Bowen somehow failed to convert a cross from Vladimir Coufal. At the other end Fabianski saved a low effort from the Freiburg substitute, Merlin Röhl.

Freiburg mounted some late pressure but their challenge ended when Fabianski denied Doan with a fine save. West Ham would not be denied their 10th consecutive home win in Europe.