Premier League release statement to reveal why West Ham star Tomas Soucek’s goal was ruled out against Chelsea
THE Premier League have finally revealed why West Ham star Tomas Soucek’s goal was ruled out against Chelsea.
With the match poised at 0-0, the Hammers were left fuming after Michail Antonio was deemed to be offside after a three-minute VAR check.
But the Professional Game Match Officials Board has insisted the correct call was made, with Antonio said to have obstructed Kepa Arrizabalaga.
A PGMOL statement read: “In the 34th minute of West Ham United v Chelsea, a goal was disallowed following a VAR Review for an offside offence against Michail Antonio.
“The on-field decision was to award the goal.
“But the VAR advised the referee that Antonio was in an offside position and directly in the line of vision of Kepa Arrizabalaga.”
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Soucek thought he’d given West Ham a vital lead after 34 minutes in their bid to escape the relegation zone.
The Czech midfielder had up until then scored West Ham’s only goal since the resumption of the season – into his own net at Tottenham last week.
As Jarrod Bowen’s corner swung in from the right, he, Cesar Azpilicueta and Michail Antonio combined in a three-man scramble which ended with the latter on the deck as the ball homed in on them.
Soucek did his best to chip the ball over his team-mate’s prone body without touching him as he sandwedged the ball into the net.
MARK HALSEY ON DISALLOWED GOAL
VAR official Jon Moss ruled out Thomas Soucek’s goal for West Ham because Michail Antonio was in the line of Kepa’s vision but I disagree with this decision.
I don’t think Antonio prevented Chelsea keeper Kepa from seeing the ball or interfered with his line of vision.
I felt Kepa’s reaction was natural and he had already moved to try and save the close range shot.
Referee Martin Atkinson awarded the goal and I believe it should have been allowed to stand, especially as it took VAR three minutes and 20 seconds to adjudge Antonio was interfering with the keeper which shows there was doubt.
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But a full three-minute debate by video ended in heartache for the Hammers.
Worse yet, Chelsea would go on to take the lead just minutes later – before Soucek did eventually get on the scoreboard with a header on the stroke of half-time.
In a topsy-turvy game, Andriy Yarmolenko scored a stoppage-time winner to gift his side a vital three points.