Crystal Palace were left furious after Eberechi Eze’s thunderous free-kick against Chelsea was controversially disallowed after a VAR check at Stamford Bridge. The England international thought he had handed his side the lead in their Premier League opener, but referee Darren England reviewed the incident on the pitch-side monitor and ruled the strike out.
Eze’s stunning free-kick disallowed after VAR interventionGuehi encroached within one metre of Chelsea wallPalace furious as decision sparks fresh refereeing debateFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Eze unleashed a powerful free-kick that crashed through the Chelsea wall and beat Robert Sanchez with sheer force. The Crystal Palace star wheeled away in celebration, believing he had given his side the lead. However, the referee was soon called to the monitor, and the goal was chalked off to the dismay of the Palace players and fans.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE EXPLANATION
The decision centred on Marc Guehi’s positioning during the free-kick as per referee England. The Crystal Palace captain was adjudged to have stood within one metre of the Chelsea wall, while also pushing Moises Caicedo, which obstructed the defensive line. According to the laws of the game, any attacking player must remain at least one metre from a defensive wall of three or more players, and Guehi’s infringement meant the referee had no option but to award Chelsea an indirect free-kick.
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England made the ruling clear to the Stamford Bridge crowd after consulting the monitor. His announcement specified that Guehi had encroached on the wall, which directly led to the disallowing of the goal. It marked a rare example of in-stadium clarity being provided by the match official on a VAR decision.
England said to the crowd: "After review, away number six is less than one metre away from the wall as the shot is taken. Therefore, it's an indirect free kick and a disallowed goal."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PALACE?
Unfortunately for Crystal Palace, they headed into half-time on level terms at Stamford Bridge. For Eze, the disallowed strike could potentially have scratched out a farewell goal with the Eagles. Meanwhile, the incident could spark further debate around VAR consistency and the enforcement of free-kick laws in the Premier League.
