Lukasz Fabianski has praised Andriy Yarmolenko for his mental fortitude and the way he has coped with the fallout of Russia's devastating invasion of Ukraine.
The Pole was one of the first players to embrace Yarmolenko upon the final whistle with the goalkeeper springing the length of the pitch to lift his tear strewn teammate off the ground and engulf him in a giant hug.
Yarmolenko was making his first appearance for West Ham since Russia's invasion and just 18 minutes after coming on opened the scoring with a superb goal before collapsing to the ground and openly weeping. Emotions were running high around the London Stadium with even the Aston Villa supporters applauding Yarmolenko following his goal celebration.
Fabianski believed that once Yarmolenko was brought on something special was about to happen and the goalkeeper was proved right. He said: "I don't think any of us can imagine what he or his country have been through. We can all try to support or think but it is unimaginable what he has been going through in the last few weeks. He has been very emotional, it was in some ways that once he was back you knew that something magical was going to happen and that was very special what happened here."
