West Ham found themselves in a heated dispute during their match against Chelsea when a penalty they believed was warranted was not awarded. The incident occurred when Wesley Fofana seemingly made contact with Crysencio Summerville in the penalty area, but the referee chose to let play continue. Even after a VAR review, the decision remained unchanged, and no penalty was given.
Chelsea started the match aggressively despite their previous difficulties at the London Stadium. They quickly took control, with Nicolas Jackson scoring the opening goal and adding a second soon after, showing great skill and composure. West Ham’s manager, Julen Lopetegui, felt aggrieved over the non-call, emphasizing the incident involving Fofana and Summerville.
The controversy arose when replays appeared to show Fofana pulling Summerville down in the box, prompting the home crowd to call for a penalty. However, the VAR upheld the referee’s decision, citing a lack of “sustained holding,” a point clarified later by the Premier League’s VAR Match Centre on social media. This effort to explain the decision-making process did little to appease West Ham fans, who felt wronged. Former Chelsea player Joe Cole also suggested that West Ham should have been awarded the penalty, despite stricter officiating this season.
Despite the penalty controversy, Chelsea clearly outplayed West Ham in the first half, controlling the midfield and easily breaking through their defense. After a tactical substitution by Lopetegui, West Ham began to improve and thought they had scored through Mohammed Kudus, only to have the goal disallowed for offside. In the second half, Chelsea extended their lead with a quick counter-attack finished by Cole Palmer, with Jackson assisting. Jackson’s contributions were vital, as he played a role in all three Chelsea goals.
While West Ham pondered the potential impact of the denied penalty, Chelsea’s dominant performance secured their victory. The debate over the penalty decision is expected to continue, leaving West Ham supporters frustrated despite their team’s valiant efforts.