---
title: "Gary Lineker hails ‘incredible’ West Ham forward Andriy Yarmolenko"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2022/03/14/gary-lineker-hails-incredible-west-ham-forward-andriy-yarmolenko/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2022-03-14T12:00:00Z"
modified: "2022-03-14T12:00:00Z"
---

# Gary Lineker hails ‘incredible’ West Ham forward Andriy Yarmolenko

[West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2022/03/14/virals-west-ham-count-the-cost-of-epl-victory-as-injuries-take-hold/) forward [Andriy Yarmolenko](https://readwestham.com/2022/02/12/virals-west-ham-outcast-andriy-yarmolenko-sent-off-in-youth-match/) made an emotional return to action against Aston Villa at the London Stadium.

The 32-year-old came on as a second-half substitute with the scoreline at 0-0 before [breaking the deadlock](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-highlights/video/36504/12565368/west-ham-2-1-aston-villa-premier-league-highlights) 18 minutes later.

David Moyes’ side doubled their advantage through Pablo Fornals before a late Jacob Ramsey strike acted as a [consolation](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10608267/Emotional-Andriy-Yarmolenko-dedicates-goal-victims-Ukraine-war-West-Ham-beat-Villa-2-1.html) for Aston Villa

Taking to [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1503038626938167300) following the win, former England international Gary Lineker praised the fortitude of the Ukrainian forward.

> A win for [@WestHam](https://twitter.com/WestHam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) 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. 🇺🇦
>
> — Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) [March 13, 2022](https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1503038626938167300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

This was the [106 times capped](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andriy-yarmolenko/nationalmannschaft/spieler/69015/verein_id/3699) ace’s second goal of the season to add to three assists in [26 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andriy-yarmolenko/leistungsdaten/spieler/69015) across all competitions.

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

What a wonderfully poignant moment.

Scriptwriters could barely have imagined it as Yarmolenko made the perfect return from [compassionate leave](https://www.whufc.com/brightcove_video/5159).

Not only was this a goal for all the right reasons in terms of eaning, but it was also one of [high quality](https://www.whufc.com/news/goals-west-ham-2-1-aston-villa) and with a big impact on the outcome of the match.

Having replaced a stricken Michail Antonio, the [£3.15million valued](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andriy-yarmolenko/marktwertverlauf/spieler/69015) forward could be asked to lead the line in midweek against Sevilla.