Andriy Yarmolenko scored in extra time to send West Ham through to the Europa League quarter-finals, ousting Sevilla in a 2-1 aggregate triumph on a dramatic evening at the London Stadium.
Tomas Soucek equalized with a powerful header just before half-time but the Premier League side failed to score a decisive second goal before the game went into extra time.
With the game seemingly heading for a penalty shootout, Yarmolenko took the lead to score a spectacular West Ham striker in the 112th minute and the hosts won 2-0 on the night.
The Ukrainian substitute’s impressive performance means David Moyes’ side have reached their first European quarter-final since reaching the 1980-81 Cup Winners’ Cup semi-finals.
Pablo Fornals saw a volley blocked in a frantic opener, before Alphonse Areola made an impressive save after a left-footed shot from Youssef En-Nesyri in the 26th minute.
The Hammers closed in on the other team when visiting keeper Yassine Bounou made an excellent individual save to prevent Michail Antonio.
But West Ham finally took the lead in the 39th minute, with Soucek heading hard into the top left corner after receiving Antonio’s cross, before En-Nesyri headed wide at the end of a first half – dream time for the Irons.
The hosts were awfully close to the second goal in the 15th minute, with Sevilla pulling away after Manuel Lanzini forced Bounou into a double save.
Jesus Corona then fired over the bar on the other side in the 70th minute, which proved to be the last notable chance before the draw went to extra time, with the aggregate score still tied after the Sevilla won 1-0 in Spain.
Soucek squandered the first golden chance of extra time, heading for the far post, before Yarmolenko’s second goal in as many games sent the stadium into ecstasy.
The 32-year-old attacked after Bounou deflected Fornals’ long-range shot, beating home to eliminate the six-time Europa League winner.
What does that mean? Europa League pundits shot down by excellent hammers
On the night Sevilla overtook Benfica as the team with the longest Europa League qualifying appearances with their 43rd appearance in the competition, Julen Lopetegui’s men were clearly second best at West Ham.
Sevilla, who specialize in Europe’s second division club competition and sit second in La Liga, were knocked out of this tournament for the first time since losing to Slavia Prague in 2018-19.
Yarmolenko crowns a perfect evening
After scoring a thrilling comeback goal against Aston Villa on Sunday after returning from a break following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Yarmolenko was even better at leading West Ham to the European quarter-finals.
He has already scored 13 Europa League goals, the second most of any Ukrainian player, behind Junior Moraes, who has 14 in the competition.
Antonio equalizes the feat of the Hammers of Payet
Assisting in Soucek’s opener, Antonio became the first player to double the goals and assists in a single season for West Ham since Dimitri Payet recorded 12 goals and 15 assists in 2015-16.
Meanwhile, the striker has become just the second Premier League player to score 10 goals and provide 10 assists in all competitions this season, after Mohamed Salah (who has 28 goals and 10 assists).
Key Option Facts:
- Yarmolenko has scored in consecutive appearances for West Ham in all competitions for the first time since September 2019.
- Soucek has scored seven headed goals for West Ham – only Harry Kane (10), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (8) and Diogo Jota (8) have more for Premier League clubs since making his debut for Hammers in February 2020 .
- Sevilla have lost each of the last six European competitive matches in extra time, three in the Supercup and three in the Europa League.
- The Spanish team also suffered their first defeat in the UEFA Cup/Europa League against an English opponent (P9 W6 D2 D1).
- West Ham’s Yarmolenko winner was the second most recent goal scored by an English club in the Europa League since 2009-10, after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Arsenal against Olympiacos in 2020 (113 minutes).
What is the next?
West Ham will now focus on their return to Europe next season, traveling to local rivals Tottenham for a big Premier League clash on Sunday. Sevilla, meanwhile, host Real Sociedad in La Liga on the same day.