DBasia.news – Football will always be full of drama, especially now that there is a refereeing technology, VAR (Video Assistant Referee). Now VAR is back in the spotlight and caused a controversy in the sixth week of the Premier League.
The incident took place during the London Derby between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge, Saturday (03/09). The Blues won 2-1 and from West Ham’s version, they should have gotten a point from a 2-2 draw.
West Ham took the lead in the 62nd minute from Michail Antonio’s goal. Chelsea came back and their two substitutes, Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz, turned the game around with two goals: Chilwell in the 76th minute and Havertz in the 88th minute.
In the 90th minute West Ham had scored a goal from Maxwel Cornet, but after the referee reviewed the VAR the goal was disallowed. The reason was because before the goal was created by West Ham players, Jarrod Bowen was considered to have violated Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
That moment sparked anger from West Ham. West Ham manager, David Moyes, reportedly approached talkSPORT to the referee’s changing room to express his anger at match referee Andrew Madley.
“This is a disgraceful decision, absolutely unacceptable by one of the elite referees,” Moyes said angrily to the BBC.
“I support VAR a lot, I really think the goalkeeper (Mendy) dived, he pretended to be injured because he couldn’t get the next one, he did the same with the first goal too. The referee somehow misunderstood, it was incredible.”
“Did you see it? The goalkeeper came in to pick up (the ball) and actually groped it about five or six meters then he acted as if he had a shoulder injury. I was amazed VAR sent the referee to see it.”
“I think even if it goes on TV, there’s no way he can cancel it. It was a terrible decision. The referee should be held accountable, there’s no reason for it not to be a goal.”
“I lost faith in the people who put him up for VAR. I can’t see how the goal wasn’t awarded.”
Responding to anger from West Ham and the controversial decision, Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel, only responded diplomatically.
“It’s in our favor and there’s a reason why it’s in our favor. In my opinion, it was a foul,” added Tuchel.
“I will not comment further, but what happened against Tottenham (Hotspur) is clear and I paid a lot of money (because of the fine) to comment, so I will not do so,” he explained.