West Ham 2-0 Sevilla AET (2-1 on aggregate) (Soucek 39′, Yarmolenko 112′)
BY RUSSELL HARRIS AT THE LONDON STADIUM — Andriy Yarmolenko scored a dramatic extra-time winner as West Ham stunned Europa League specialists Sevilla to reach the quarter-finals.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Tomas Soucek’s first-half goal drew the Hammers level on aggregate, before Ukraine international Yarmolenko climbed off the bench to score a historic goal on West Ham’s biggest night since moving to the London Stadium, and their most high-profile fixture on the European stage in over 40 years.
Manager David Moyes had challenged West Ham’s fans to match the atmosphere at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan seven days earlier, and they did not disappoint. In fact, the noise in the former Olympic Stadium when Yarmolenko scored has probably not been as loud since Sir Mo Farah rounded the final corner on Super Saturday a decade ago.
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But having cantered through the group stage to reach the last 16 for the first time, West Ham have looked more than comfortable at this level and they had an early chance when Manuel Lanzini lifted the ball into the area for Pablo Fornals, whose volley was blocked.
Sevilla should have taken the lead in the 26th minute but Youssef En-Nesyri was denied from 10 yards out by a superb reflex save by Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola.
West Ham came agonisingly close moments later when Said Benrahma threaded the ball through to Michail Antonio.
The striker, who passed a late fitness test in order to play, saw his shot deflected by Jules Kounde and partially saved by Yassine Bounou. Soucek slid in for the rebound but he was just beaten to the ball by Serbian defender Nemanja Gudelj.
But it was Soucek who levelled the tie six minutes before half-time when he got his bandaged forehead to Antonio’s cross at the far post.
Soucek almost doubled the lead on the night after the interval following a mazy run from Declan Rice, but Bounou parried his shot and Rice put the rebound wide.
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The hosts were cranking up the pressure, and the fans the volume, but they were given a warning when suddenly Sevilla countered and Tecatito Corona fired over.
Bounou held a late curler from Benrahma with neither side able to win the tie in normal time.
"Some things are written in the stars…"
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 17, 2022
WEST HAM GO AHEAD IN EXTRA TIME AGAINST SEVILLA!
And it's Yarmolenko with the goal#UEL pic.twitter.com/Ho04rJA7Gj
Soucek was inches away again when he met Craig Dawson’s knockdown from a corner but he could not guide it in at the far post.
But for the second time in a week, Yarmolenko came off the bench to find the net, this time with a far-post tap-in, to spark joyous scenes on the pitch and in the stands.
Player ratings
West Ham (4-2-3-1)
- Areola – 7
- Johnson – 7
- Zouma – 7
- Dawson – 7
- Cresswell – 7
- Rice – 8
- Soucek – 8
- Fornals – 7
- Lanzini – 7
- Benrahma – 7
- Antonio – 8
Subs:
- Yarmolenko – 7
- Fredericks – 6
- Noble – 6
- Diop – 6
Sevilla (4-3-3)
- Bounou – 7
- Navas – 6
- Kounde – 7
- Gudelj – 7
- Augustinsson – 6
- Delaney – 6
- Jordan – 6
- Rakitic – 5
- Tecatito – 6
- Martial – 6
- En-Nesyri – 6
Subs:
- Torres – 5
- Mir – 5
- Carmona – 6
- Montiel – 6
- Cruz – 6
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