Declan Rice blasts officials after West Ham denied draw against Chelsea: ‘One of the worst VAR decisions made’

Matt Verri5 September 2022

Declan Rice added to West Ham’s protests over the decision to disallow Maxwel’s Cornet’s late strike in their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

After Michail Antonio had put the visitors in front, Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz scored for the hosts to turn the match around and leave the Hammers trailing with two minutes of normal time remaining.

However, almost immediately after they fell behind, West Ham had the ball in the net. Edouard Mendy pushed the ball out under pressure from Jarrod Bowen, straight to Maxwel Cornet who fired the ball into the empty net.

A VAR review followed though and after the referee consulted the monitor, he returned to the pitch to give a foul against Bowen and ruled out the goal in controversial fashion.

It left West Ham suffering a derby day defeat and the frustration their captain felt was clear to see as Rice took to Twitter after the match.

He tweeted: “That’s up there with one of the worst VAR decisions made since it’s come into the game. Shambles.”

Rice added: “Can’t believe the referee has even been asked to go take a look at the monitor! Cannot see how they’ve come to that decision.”

“You have seen it, it is a scandalous decision, absolutely rotten from one of the supposedly elite referees - it doesn’t say much about whoever sent him over from VAR as well - it is an unbelievable decision against us,” Moyes said.

“I’d question VAR today as much as the referee. The referee should have stuck to his guns and be big enough to stick with what he said.

“I’ve lost faith in them after that today. I’ve lost faith in the people putting it up for VAR. I can’t see how the goal wasn’t given.

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