EPL

Emotional Yarmolenko nets superb goal in West Ham win

By Sports Desk March 13, 2022

Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmolenko scored a dazzling goal in West Ham's 2-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa, sparking an emotional celebration.

Yarmolenko, who has hit 44 goals to sit second behind Andriy Shevchenko in the Ukraine national team's all-time goalscoring charts, was granted time off by West Ham boss David Moyes last month when Russia's military began to invade his homeland.

The 32-year-old made his first appearance since the war in Ukraine began during Sunday's match against Villa at the London Stadium, coming on as a substitute after 52 minutes to a standing ovation.

Yarmolenko marked the occasion in superb fashion after 70 minutes, turning on Said Benrahma's pass before poking into the bottom corner with the outside of his left boot to open the scoring.

He collapsed to his knees in an emotional celebration, being mobbed by team-mates after netting his first Premier League goal of the season.

Pablo Fornals then doubled the hosts' lead on 82 minutes, and despite Jacob Ramsey's late consolation, Yarmolenko was able to celebrate a perfect return to action.

Former England striker Gary Lineker saluted Yarmolenko's spirit.

Lineker wrote on Twitter: "A win for @WestHam and a goal for Andriy Yarmolenko. How he manages to focus and play, let alone come on and score is beyond me. Ukrainians are incredible."

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