No second yellow??

Cristian Sapunaru almost gets Michail Antonio in a chokehold, in front of the referee. The whole stadium had stopped, it was almost as if time itself had stopped.

But the man in black blows his whistle and awards just a free-kick to West Ham.

Sapunaru lucky to get away with that one.

That is Gokhan Tore's last action of the match.

He comes off and youngster Marcus Browne comes on.

When Gokhan Tore is on, he really can cause problems.

The little winger wriggles away from his marker Fabricio and rolls a ball into the box, but Mark Noble can't get a shot away.

Astra get in behind for the first time in the match.

Striker Denis Alibec peels away from James Collins inside the area by beating the offside trap, but his left-footed shot from the angle is weak and Darren Randolph can gather.

Astra's most impressive player has been Alexandru Ionita, playing on the right wing.

The left-footer shuffles the ball forward with small touches of the football, but his team-mates around him are not quite on his wavelength as he plays a ball into the box.

Excellent covering work from young full-back Reece Burke, who gets across to clear the ball, which had been played inside the six-yard box.

From the resulting break, Astra defender Geraldo Alves is booked for a tug on Andy Carroll.

Image source, Reuters

Again, it's speculative.

Astra play a short corner out to skipper Junior Morais on the left.

The full-back attempts to smash one in to the top corner, but it sails high over the crossbar.

The home side have had to resort to pot shots in this match. Sooner or later one will go in?

Under no pressure, Sam Byram concedes a corner in trying to head the ball back to Darren Randolph.

Can Astra make this count?

The game has gone a little flat, with neither goalkeeper having any work to do. The game ebbing away, which West Ham will be pleased about.

Double change from West Ham.

Andy Carroll and James Collins on, Enner Valencia and Jonathan Calleri come off.

Image source, Reuters

Astra have not been able to carve West Ham open and they have not been able to get in behind with craft or clever incisive play.

The Hammers defenders have sat back and waited for the home players to make their runs forward before picking them off.

All too easy for Slaven Bilic's men after an hour.

Romania international Denis Alibec, once of Inter Milan, is being sent on in place of right-back Kristi Vangjeli.

It's a reshuffle of the side, with Cristian Sapunaru slotting back into defence.

Number 32 on number 32 and into the book.

Astra full-back Kristi Vangjeli is slow to react and trips West Ham full-back Reece Burke who had played a neat one-two with Michail Antonio.

Astra boss Marius Sumudica has clearly given his boys a talking to at half time, they have started brightly and are seeing a lot of the ball. Can they find a way past Darren Randolph though?

At the other end, Michail Antonio's long-rang effort is straight into the hands of Silviu Lung.

Filipe Teixeira plays a no-look pass into the path of Florin Lovin in the area, who attempts a Rabona cross but it's straight into the hands of Darren Randolph.

Easy for the West Ham keeper, who is Lovin that one. 

West Ham have not woken up yet in the second half and almost concede.

Defender Geraldo Alves gets forward for a corner and heads back Alexandru Ionita's cross but no Astra player can get on the end of it inside the six-yard box.

Image source, Rex Features

Taking a look back at the penalty, I have to say the referee got the handball decision spot on.

Cristian Sapunaru clearly had his left arm raised.

Image source, Rex Features

Astra get us back under way in Romania.

Can the home side respond in the second period?

Having watched Astra boss Marius Sumudica's angry antics on the touchline during the first half, I would not want to be in Cristian Sapunaru's boots right now.