West Ham’s rise shows no sign of slowing down after toppling Sevilla on the best night their stay at the London Stadium has ever seen.
The Hammers are into the last eight of the Europa League for the first time in their history having remarkably overturned a first-leg deficit against the six-time winners of this competition.
Sevilla arrived with the odds and experience stacked in their favour, the Spaniards - second in LaLiga - having never lost to English opposition in this tournament.
But they had not met this new West Ham before, the Hammers driven through to the quarter-finals by sheer will and goals from Tomas Soucek and Andriy Yarmolenko, the latter striking in extra-time.
David Moyes has forged a side who do not know their ceiling and are happy to bloody the noses of the best in Europe as well as on these shores.
Moyes was boosted by the news that both Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell would be fit to start for this crucial tie - hailed as the biggest game since to move to Stratford by the stadium announcer ahead of kick-off.
There have been nights to remember at this stadium since the switch from Upton Park, but everyone in attendance knew this had the potential to be something different.
The home support - so often cited as a hindrance here in the past - roared as Declan Rice lapped the West Ham half to rev them up.
That noise transferred into a dominant start from the hosts. Having allowed Sevilla to dictate last week, West Ham were on the front foot here, controlling possession and looking to pull level in the tie quickly.
A corner won by Antonio after just six minutes was celebrated like a goal as the home support looked to get on the backs of their Andalusian visitors. Those on the pitch were starting to cause trouble too, Nemanja Gudelj having to block a Pablo Fornals volley after a smart clipped ball from Said Benrahma.
Sevilla had hardly had a kick but were nonetheless dangerous themselves when getting forward. Anthony Martial’s backheel had Ludwig Augustinsson swiftly in behind. The full-back cut back for Youssef En-Nesyri whose first time shot was superbly palmed away by Alphonse Areola.
West Ham were not rattled by the chance and pressed on.
Antonio should have had them in front when a wonderfully disguised ball from Benrahma put him in behind but the striker could not sort his feet out in time and the chance was wasted.
Moyes looked baffled, the Scot clearly fearing this was another case of a fine performance going to waste thanks to their profligacy.
However, having wasted a number of openings across the first 30 minutes, it was Antonio who provided a touch of quality for the opening goal.
After exchanging passes with Benrahma, the forward held off Ivan Rakitic and Jules Kounde, opening up the space to lift a perfectly placed cross to the far post where Soucek rose to steer a header back across Bono and in. West Ham had found the edge they were looking for and the London Stadium erupted to a level not witnessed since the club arrived in this part of the capital.
West Ham were going toe-to-toe with the kings of this tournament and looking far more threatening than Julen Lopetegui’s side.
Soucek fired an effort straight at Bono moments after the restart, while the goalkeeper had to be alert to get a hand to Manuel Lanzini’s close range effort having already palmed the Argentine’s shot back into his path.
Sevilla tried to wrestle back control but West Ham were playing out of their skin. Fornals covered every blade as Soucek and Declan Rice snapped into tackle after tackle in midfield and Antonio gave Kounde and Gudelj untold problems - the forward looking at his sharpest for some time.
The visitors were struggling to get things going and when openings came they were not able to take advantage, Jesus Corona blazing over from En-Nesyri’s cutback.
"Some things are written in the stars..."
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WEST HAM GO AHEAD IN EXTRA TIME AGAINST SEVILLA!
And it's Yarmolenko with the goal ❤️#UEL pic.twitter.com/Ho04rJA7Gj
After all their exertions West Ham did begin to retreat towards the end of normal time, but still Areola’s goal remained largely untroubled as the game ticked towards extra-time, though the additional 30 minutes was almost not needed as Benrahma bent a shot towards the far-post only to see it stopped by Bono.
Having looked weary towards the end of normal time, West Ham quickly found life again into extra-time - Soucek heading agonisingly wide from a yard out at the far post.
As Lopetegui continued to call upon his far deeper reserves from the bench, West Ham kept plugging away not cowed by being up against a stronger squad and a referee who was hardly helping their cause.
As the visitors used every change possible, Moyes had only turned to Yarmolenko - fresh from the high emotion of Sunday’s goalscoring return against Aston Villa. The emotion was about to ratchet up once more.
West Ham continued to push and Fornals found space on the left to check in and strike. Bono again was equal to it but could only push the ball to the feet of Yarmolenko, who took up the offer and sparked delirium.
Moyes wanted more nights like this - now he has got one.
