As the London Stadium celebrated, there was one person in claret and blue who was barely able to raise a smile.
West Ham’s match-winner Andriy Yarmolenko wandered around the pitch in a daze, scarcely able to believe the script his life was following.
Brushing off his team-mates, Yarmolenko made a beeline for a Ukrainian flag in the stands and handed over his shirt through a sea of hands and faces, as fans jostled to get close to the player who had clinched one of the biggest wins in West Ham’s modern history.
If Yarmolenko was stunned, Declan Rice was beaming enough for the both of them. For Rice, this might just be the start of something, while Mark Noble had tears in his eyes as he dreamed of the perfect end.
In the directors’ box, Karren Brady danced a jig to Sweet Caroline and Sir Trevor Brooking applauded to the beat. Carlton Cole and Joe Cole talked of Hollywood on BT Sport. David Moyes strode around the pitch, applauding each corner of the ground as he went from player to player, congratulating and, perhaps, thanking them.
Moyes, whose reputation continues to be redefined, has always been steadfast in his belief that West Ham are just getting started — and the 2-0 win over Sevilla in the Europa League went a long way to justifying his belief in the club and himself.
“We are not in a bubble,” said Moyes afterwards. “We are climbing a mountain and we are only at base camp. I can see a couple more levels to go to.”
Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in Spain, goals from Tomas Soucek and Yarmolenko, who struck in the 112th-minute, clinched a win which immediately entered West Ham’s modern folklore. As supporters stayed to celebrate, West Ham had rarely felt more unified as club, and the result should fundamentally change perceptions of what is possible and act as a springboard for even bigger and more lasting things to come.
In outplaying Sevilla, West Ham showed they belonged, beating a club who have made this competition their own and were playing for a chance to lift the trophy for the seventh time — and on home soil — in May. Having knocked out the favourites, the Hammers will be feared but should not fear anyone in today’s quarter-final draw.
The significance of the occasion was only increased because Yarmolenko was the match-winner, side-footing home from close range after Pablo Fornals’ shot was parried. The winger’s homeland is under siege and the club has been worried about his mental state since. That he has now twice scored important goals this week points to a remarkable strength of character.
For Moyes, there was further vindication in his only tactical substitute scoring the winner, after Yarmolenko replaced Said Benrahma on 87 minutes.
For long periods, West Ham looked in danger of learning a harsh lesson, as they controlled possession but struggled to turn dominance into chances.
They missed the injured Jarrod Bowen and their squad again appeared too thin and short of game-changers in reserve.
Michail Antonio missed his two big chances, but was magnificent, battering against Sevilla’s back two over and over again, and ensuring Fornals, Benraham and Manuel Lanzini had space to work.
The opening goal was all about the striker, who created a yard of space for himself on the corner of the penalty box before swinging his left leg like a pitching wedge, sending the perfect cross to the back post, where Soucek rose early to head home.
At 0-0, West Ham had cup goalkeeper Alphone Areola to thank to keeping the scores level when he made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Youssef En-Nesyri. It was the closest Sevilla came all night.
West Ham had hired Tony Perry, the Wembley DJ from Euro 2020, to entertain a packed London Stadium, one of many elements which gave the occasion a one-off, cup-final feel. The thing is, the Hammers may have to get used to nights like this. They will have at least one more this season.
The pre-match mood was also reflected by the stadium announcer, who revealed the West Ham XI line-ups with the claim: “Our biggest night at the London Stadium — and here’s the players that are going to take us on that journey...” He was right. There has not been a bigger occasion at this ground.
When it came to announcing Noble’s name among the substitutes, the giddy announcer went further. “And No16 — will he lift the trophy? — Mark Noble!” At the time it felt fanciful, but West Ham have earned the right to dream.
