West Ham are massive on night of European glory

West Ham 2 Sevilla 0 (after extra time) (Europa League)

It's an early start after a mini-break in Keswick, first a bus to Penrith and then a train to London, to see West Ham try and overturn a one-goal deficit in the Europa League. 

In other good news Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has just been released from six years in an Iranian jail and is taking time to adjust to the fact that instead of fighting relegation West Ham are indeed Massive.

The choruses of Bubbles coming out of the stadium indicate the fans are up for this. Matt is in a programme crisis having discovered the club hasn't printed enough, while we're joined by Lisa, a tardy Nigel munching a giant sausage, and two rows back Fraser and Steve the Cornish Postie, arriving at the London Stadium by special delivery. Michael is in Hove on a writer's retreat penning a presumably Massive play.

The crowd is fired-up pre-kickoff by a very over-excited DJ Tony Perry playing West Ham are Massive and then a light-show and flame-throwers. It's an intimidating cauldron of sound and the best atmosphere at the London Stadium since the move.

Injury doubts Antonio and Cresswell are back. West Ham press early on and the team look decidedly up for it, but Sevilla are calm in possession and after 25 minutes almost double their lead as Areola makes a great one-handed save to deny En-Nesyri's header.

BOUNCING SOUCEK

At the other end a lovely through ball from Benrahma releases Antonio, whose effort is blocked by Bono and a great block from Gudelj denies Soucek on the followup. After 39 minutes the moment we've been waiting for arrives. Antonio does really well to get a cross in through three defenders and Tomas Soucek rises above Augustinsson to power a header across goal and past Bono into the far corner. The London Stadium erupts, David Moyes does a dad dance and the whole ground is bouncing to West Ham are Massive. It's not such a Beautiful Day for Bono now,

At half time we find Clacton Irons Alison and Scott in the concourse, with Scott predicting a 2-0 scoreline, as if that will happen. The second half begins with Rice surging forwards and setting up Soucek for a parried shot and then missing the rebound himself. Lanzini has a shot blocked and West Ham force a series of corners but in the last quarter Sevilla start to look more composed and with their experience will surely fancy a result in extra-time.

Extra-time arrives and whatever happens we've come a long way since the Burnley game when Fraser ordered his lads to invade the pitch. Nigel remarks how this side, so tired recently, has the ability to raise its game for quality opponents. Dawson and Zouma have headed everything away at the back, Johnson has nullified Martial, Benrahma has been lively and skilful, Rice has been imperious and Antonio has been a constant threat in the channels. It's hard to believe Kidderminster caused WHU more problems than Sevilla.

YARMY ARMY

Showing extraordinary resilience West Ham continue to press, despite Sevilla using more subs. Dawson flicks on a corner and Soucek heads wide rom a tight angle. We're thinking about who will take penalties when in the 111st minute Antonio holds the ball up yet again, nutmegs it to Lanzini who in turn finds Fornals. Pablo's shot is parried by Bono right into the path of Yarmolenko who calmly taps home with his left foot and points up to the sky. The London Stadium erupts again.

It's a tremendously nervous final five minutes but it's fitting the ball is with Yarmolenko in the corner at the final whistle. Mark Noble leaps on Declan Rice, Yarmy gives his shirt to a fan with a Ukrainian flag in the crowd and an animated David Moyes is on the pitch coming over to punch the air in front of the Billy Bonds Stand.

The only downside is the pubs will be shutting. After an abortive attempt to find the boat bar on the River Lea we find ourselves kettled at the station at 11.15pm accompanied by chants of "Chelsea are Bankrupt!" and "Oh Christian Dailly you are the love of my life!"

I make the last Overground out of Saigon while Matt and Lisa are the wrong side of the sliding doors. They eventually end up in Holloway Road where the entire Irish community seems to be celebrating our win. By midnight Fraser is celebrating in Ilford, Nigel is having a Kew Gardens knees-up with the west London Irons, and at Highbury and Islington the station is echoing to Bubbles before I find a welcome bottle of porter in my fridge. 

We're in our first European quarter-final since 1981 — with only one striker — and have just seen one of the most memorable nights in West Ham's history. It's Lyon next and anything seems possible now. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 8: Johnson 8, Zouma 8, Dawson 8, Johnson 8; Rice 9, Soucek 8, Benrahma 8, Fornals 8 (Diop n/a), Lanzini 8 (Noble n/a), Benrahma 8 (Yarmolenko 9); Antonio 9 (Fredericks n/a).