João Pedro And Fernández Fire Chelsea To Win Against Fulham After Var Drama

Perhaps nan biggest reproach for Fulham was that nan first half was still going connected erstwhile Chelsea yet collapsed through. They were into nan ninth infinitesimal of added clip erstwhile Enzo Fernández delivered a corner, João Pedro leapt to people and Marco Silva was forced to judge that nan footballing Gods were not connected his side, but this is wherever nan crippled is these days. It is pedantic, stop-start and excessively susceptible to being warped by technology’s blurred lines.

It is tiresome to person to talk astir refereeing decisions – acold amended to attraction connected João Pedro’s blistering form since swapping Brighton for Chelsea, for lawsuit – but sometimes location is nary different choice. This is nan era of VAR and luck did not favour Fulham arsenic they fell to a 2-0 conclusion astatine Stamford Bridge. They dominated overmuch of nan opening play and had done capable to lead this westbound London derby, only for nan reddish mist to descend erstwhile Josh King’s first extremity for his boyhood nine was followed by 1 of those long, tortured looks astatine nan pitchside show and a ruling from Rob Jones that near Silva utterly incandescent connected nan touchline.

Clear and obvious? The only point beyond uncertainty present was Silva’s rage. The expected offence during nan buildup to King’s beautiful onslaught came from Rodrigo Muniz inadvertently treading connected Trevoh Chalobah’s ft arsenic he turned distant from nan Chelsea defender. There was nary awesome appeal. Muniz had possession and was being challenged by Chalobah. Most group saw a bully goal. Michael Salisbury, nan man astatine Stockley Park, saw a logic to intervene.

Is shot amended for these delays? Would Chelsea genuinely person cried foul if nan extremity had stood? Or would attraction person been connected really Fulham had trim them unfastened connected nan counterattack?

Chelsea had toiled. They mislaid Liam Delap to a hamstring injury, leaving them ray successful attack, and they looked weary. Yet winning nan Club World Cup has strengthened Chelsea’s resilience. They continued to grind erstwhile they were struggling and nan magnitude of clip it took to scope a conclusion connected King’s extremity meant a minimum of 8 minutes added on, giving Enzo Maresca’s broadside to eke retired an undeserved lead done João Pedro’s 5th extremity successful his sixth crippled successful a bluish shirt.

It was a unusual afternoon. There was Fernández responding to his assistance for João Pedro by ripping disconnected nan captain’s armband and appearing to propulsion it astatine Chelsea’s fittingness coach, Marcos Álvarez. There was different agelong VAR reappraisal earlier Chelsea were awarded a punishment that Fernández buried astatine nan commencement of nan 2nd half. Patience was stretched. Chelsea did not person but they won. They person 7 points from 9 and will surely get amended erstwhile they shingle disconnected nan rust.

Chelsea had started nan time pinch a flurry of transportation activity, announcing Christopher Nkunku’s move to Milan and agreeing to nonstop Nicolas Jackson connected indebtedness to Bayern Munich. Life moves quickly successful SW19. By lunchtime location were jokes astir Chelsea rushing Jackson backmost from Germany to capable successful up front.

Fulham’s Josh King (right) celebrates scoring a extremity that was later disallowed for a conflict involving Rodrigo Muniz (centre). Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters

Already deprived of nan ingenuity of Cole Palmer, location was further interest for Maresca erstwhile Delap departed 11 minutes into this game. A compressed pre-season is having an impact. Levi Colwill is out, while Moisés Caicedo is not astatine apical speed.

Confident opponents will spot openings. Chelsea adjusted without Palmer, Jackson’s replacements starting together again, João Pedro and Delap combining done nan middle. There was different opportunity for Estêvão Willian, nan prodigious Brazilian teenager, and nan agleam young things successful onslaught made a assured start.

Yet nan temper changed erstwhile Delap hurtled disconnected down nan near and pulled up pinch a hamstring injury. Maresca turned to his bench. He looked past Jamie Gittens, nan £48.5m summertime signing from Borussia Dortmund, and threw connected Tyrique George, who is expected to beryllium sold earlier nan transportation model shuts connected Monday.

Chelsea muddled on. The action was scrappy. Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic were a burly duo successful beforehand of nan visiting team’s backmost four, enabling nan awesome King to power nan title astatine nan extremity of Fulham’s midfield.

King thought that he had his infinitesimal erstwhile different aimless Chelsea onslaught collapsed down successful nan 21st minute. Released by Berge, nan teen raced distant from Tosin Adarabioyo, trim past nan erstwhile Fulham defender and hit Robert Sánchez. Fulham’s joyousness was shortlived.

Jones mislaid power of nan crippled aft nan disallowed goal. Chelsea continued to struggle. Caicedo produced a captious situation to contradict Timothy Castagne aft much bully activity from King.

Chelsea did immoderate weird things. Fernández was struggling. He looked successful a hurry to get free of nan shot astatine 1 point, blasting it up nan transportation alternatively of bringing it down. Then, though, each nan vexation poured out. Deep into stoppage time, Chelsea forced a succession of corners. Fernández swung 1 successful from nan left. João Pedro roseate unchallenged and directed a nifty header past Bernd Leno.

Fulham screamed daylight robbery. Fernández, meanwhile, ran disconnected shushing fans successful nan East Stand. Someone had coiled him up. Had he seen Chelsea nonstop Andrey Santos retired to lukewarm up?

All seemed good erstwhile Chelsea returned for nan 2nd half, though. They looked to property location their advantage. Enter nan officials. A transverse from Chalobah drew an evident handball from Ryan Sessegnon, whose arms were raised. It took 4 minutes for Jones to travel to a decision. There was a cheque for a foul by João Pedro. Silva laughed. The punishment was fixed and Fernández buried it.

Shackles off, Chelsea hunted a third, Leno thwarting Estêvão and João Pedro. Fulham responded by introducing Raúl Jiménez and Harry Wilson but they knew it was not going to beryllium their day.