David Moyes saluted a “massive” performance from West Ham after they stunned Sevilla to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmolenko climbed off the bench to sink the Spanish side as the Hammers prolonged their European adventure with a dramatic extra-time win.
Yarmolenko had been granted compassionate leave after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and missed West Ham's 1-0 loss in the first leg in Spain due to illness.
He reacted sharply to a rebound, however, to send the London club into a European quarter-final for the first time since 1981 and knock out Sevilla, the record six-times winners of the competition.
Yarmolenko gave his shirt to a fan with a Ukraine flag as he celebrated a win that started when Tomas Soucek headed in Michail Antonio's cross at the far post to put West Ham in front five minutes before halftime.
The teams finished deadlocked at 1-1 on aggregate after 90 minutes.
West Ham manager David Moyes said he hoped the goal would lift Yarmolenko.
"We've all been there where you're losing and you think there's no chance that we're going to get a result," Moyes told BT Sport.
"In football things change for you. So I hope maybe this changes a little bit of what's in Yarmo’s head, maybe what's happening in life.
"But overall, if he’s getting mentioned worldwide and then everybody else is realising the damage Russia is doing to Ukraine."
Antonio was also happy for his teammate.
"Unbelievable! This season is like a dream come true," Antonio said.
"Yarmolenko is such a lovely guy. I can't imagine what he's going through. He’s got a finishing touch now. Hopefully, he can keep doing it."
West Ham, debutants in the knockout stage of the Europa League, became the first English team to beat the six-time winners in the tournament at a raucous London Stadium.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Soucek headed West Ham level in the first half and, on a genuine European glory night reminiscent of Upton Park in its heyday, Yarmolenko fired the Hammers to a 2-1 aggregate victory and into a historic quarter-final.
Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui admitted West Ham were deserving winners.
“At the end of the day we go home with a feeling of sadness, for the fans and in the dressing room,” he said.
“We tried really hard but we couldn’t do anything at the end, unfortunately.
“I don’t think it was a question of hunger. They managed to win the game, they played well, and we have to congratulate West Ham.”
