VAR robs the Irons
By Dave Langton
VAR denied West Ham a point in what turned into a genuinely thrilling London derby against Chelsea, as the Blues won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
The game exploded in the second half after a dire first 45 minutes, and ended in the most dramatic circumstances.
Mikey Antonio had given the Hammers the lead and Ben Chilwell equalised, before Kai Havertz gave the home side the advantage in the 87th minute.
The Hammers went straight up the other end, though, and Reece James’ awful header back to his goalkeeper gave the Irons a chance. Jarrod Bowen sprinted through and Edouard Mendy rushed out to him to parry the ball. It only fell to Maxwel Cornet and he slammed the ball into the top corner.
It was a wonderful finish under pressure but the VAR advised the referee to watch the action on the screen, because Bowen may have fouled Mendy.
From where we were sitting, it looked as though Bowen simply stumbled and accidentally made contact with the goalkeeper, but the referee ruled that it was a foul, and denied the Hammers anything from the game.
It was a sensational game of football in the second half but it was a game that Chelsea dominated.
Nevertheless, the Irons won two corners in succession after the hour mark and Antonio scored from the second, as Mendy flapped at a corner and Declan Rice put the ball back across the six-yard box for the Jamaica international to finish.
The Hammers were resolute defensively until Ben Chilwell managed to level proceedings, getting onto the end of his own header and poking the ball between Lukasz Fabianski’s legs.
Chelsea pushed for a winner but Cornet had a huge chance to restore the Irons’ lead, only to hit the post.
And fate turned on the Irons, as the Blues went up the other end and Havertz finished off a Chilwell cross with aplomb with just three minutes left.
Cornet then scored what we all thought was the equaliser but somehow VAR managed to intervene and rob us of the kind of scenes we all deserved.
A disgraceful decision, in our book.