Jarrod Bowen admitted he was disappointed with the result, but the team must bounce back quickly and prepare for the next game.

West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen spoke to West Ham TV after the team's 1-1 draw against Queens Park Rangers at London Stadium. He discussed the frustration of missing a penalty, while emphasizing that even under immense pressure, he would take responsibility and not back down.  

West Ham United fell behind in the first half due to a controversial penalty decision, but captain Jarrod Bowen equalized with 20 minutes remaining. Towards the end of the match, West Ham continued their attack, and Pablo Felipe was fouled in the penalty area, earning a second penalty. Unfortunately, Jarrod Bowen's penalty kick failed to clear the Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper, and West Ham ultimately missed a golden opportunity to turn the game around.  

This ending is clearly regrettable for a player who has always given his all for West Ham United. However, he emphasized that he will continue to step up when the team needs him, bravely face pressure and take responsibility, continuing his consistent commitment.  

After the match, Jarrod Bowen said: "Without a doubt, I am very frustrated right now. The team put in a lot of effort to equalize the score, but in the end, we failed to convert the penalty, which is really hard to accept. Before stepping up to the penalty spot, I was full of confidence and had already chosen the direction of my shot. I have been practicing specifically for this game, and I prepared well before the match. Moreover, I have successfully converted penalties in the final stages of matches at this stadium in the past."  

“I also scored a penalty a few weeks ago against Wolves. However, choosing the right shot doesn’t guarantee a goal, because the goalkeeper still has a chance to make the save. When you score a penalty, you can be happy with your performance and celebrate your success; but if you miss, you have to calmly accept the result. To be honest, it’s not a pleasant feeling, but I need to learn to accept it.”  

"In the end, the outside world may only remember me for missing the penalty, believing that it was this mistake that caused the team to lose the victory, and I have to face this result with equanimity. As I said before, when you successfully score a goal, you naturally hope to receive recognition and praise from the outside world; but if you fail to score a penalty, then this mistake will inevitably become the focus of everyone's attention and discussion."  

"The result is irreversible, and I had enough confidence and courage to step up and take the penalty. I have scored in the final stages of many matches here before, helping the team win or equalize. Although I didn't succeed this time, I can only accept the outcome since it has already happened."  

"Goalkeepers try to learn the habits of penalty takers, and I also prepare thoroughly for my penalty kicks. It's not just a technical contest, but also a psychological battle, and tonight our opponents had the upper hand in that contest. Of course, I hope to succeed with every penalty kick and make sure all my shots are on target. I've always been confident in my penalty kicks and believed I could score, but unfortunately, I didn't this time."  

West Ham United suffered a controversial penalty decision in the first half. Tomás Soucek, who had just recovered from injury, appeared to have touched the ball first during a challenge with Paul Smith, and the foul occurred about a meter from the penalty area line, but the referee ultimately awarded a penalty.  

Jarrod Bowen said: "I have no doubt about it. That contact was not enough to warrant a penalty. The situation on the pitch was quite obvious, and everyone could see what was wrong. I think the referee agreed with that decision at halftime."  

"But we clearly need to perform better. In the first half, our opponents played more easily. They retreated their formation and looked for counter-attack opportunities while maintaining a solid defense, while we were slightly lacking in both passing speed and attacking efficiency."

"After entering the second half, we continued to put pressure on the opponent's goal and eventually equalized. At that time, the team believed that they were able to further extend their lead and even win the whole game. If we had been a little luckier that day, and the penalty we were awarded at the end had been converted into a goal, we could have left here with all 3 points."  

With a busy schedule looming, West Ham United need to quickly recover and put the disappointment of their draw behind them. Their next stop is an away game against Lincoln City, followed by an away game against Swansea City next week.  

Jarrod Bowen further stated: "After the international break, we naturally hoped to start the new phase of the competition with a victory, but unfortunately we couldn't achieve that goal. Tonight's result is frustrating, but we must face it with equanimity and pick ourselves up for tomorrow, without dwelling on this match. After all, there is another important match waiting for us later."  

"This result is indeed hard to accept, and feelings of disappointment are inevitable. But tomorrow, we need to get back into the team, focus on getting back into shape, prepare fully for the next game, and strive for victory. In my opinion, this is the most appropriate way to deal with the current situation."  

Image source: Internet/West Ham United official website