Emotional Andriy Yarmolenko hands shirt to West Ham fan holding Ukraine flag

Goalscorer Andriy Yarmolenko handed a shirt to a West Ham fan holding a Ukraine flag following the Hammers' dramatic win over Sevilla in the Europa League Round of 16

West Ham's Ukrainian goalscoring hero Andriy Yarmolenko handed his shirt to a fan holding the flag of his homeland in emotional scenes.

The attacker, in only his second game back from compassionate leave, was seen handing his shirt to West Ham fans yeilding a Ukraine flag after scoring the winner at the London Stadium. David Moyes' men when into the game with a one-goal deficit but were able to find an equaliser through Tomas Soucek's header. Then in extra time and at the game at 1-1 on aggregate, Ukrainian Yarmolenko finished the job for the Premier League side.

Yarmolenko has been given time off by the club after his home nation was invaded by aggressors Russia last month, in an ongoing crisis.

Assistant coach Stuart Pearce opened up on the emotional scenes that took place in the dressing room amid the war involving Yarmolenko's country Ukraine and Russia.

Yarmolenko scored on his first game back, against Aston Villa last week - and after 2-1 the win, the player's speech had Pearce welling up. The 32-year-old, who received a standing ovation from both sets of fans when entering onto the pitch in the 53rd minute, fell to his knees and was congratulated by every teammate after scoring.

It was the first time the forward had been in the squad since taking compassionate leave amid his country’s war with Russia.

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And, speaking on the talkSPORT Breakfast, Pearce opened up: “It was a really, really emotional day. I’ve got to say Yarma[lenko]’s conducted himself brilliantly over the last few weeks and to be honest with you, how he’s done it, I don’t know.

“He’s been in to train most of the time, obviously with everything that’s going on, he was fortunate enough to get his wife and children out of Ukraine after the war had started. It’s been really, really tough for him, and an incredibly emotional day yesterday, I’ve got to say. The scene was almost set for Yarma and the feeling and the support that everyone in this country has for Ukraine.

“We came in afterwards [into the dressing room] and there was standing applause when he scored his goal. He was in tears and I’ve got to say there was a tear in my eye as well for everything that it meant. "