The final whistle confirmed Chelsea’s first home win of the season, lifting spirits at the Bridge after an indifferent start to the campaign
Chelsea picked up a much-needed home victory with a 2-0 triumph over west London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge, though the win was clouded by a string of contentious refereeing decisions that dominated the post-match debate.
The goals came from summer signing Joao Pedro and midfielder Enzo Fernandez, but much of the spotlight fell on referee Robert Jones and VAR official Michael Salisbury, whose calls left Fulham feeling aggrieved.
The visitors thought they had struck first midway through the opening half when Josh King swept home from close range. Celebrations were cut short, however, as VAR intervened. Salisbury spotted Rodrigo Muniz making contact with Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up, and after a trip to the pitchside monitor, Jones disallowed the goal. The ruling was met with disbelief, with replays suggesting only the slightest touch as Muniz shielded possession.
Fulham, who had largely controlled the first 45 minutes, were then hit by a sucker punch right before the interval. Chelsea won a corner deep into stoppage time, and from Fernandez’s delivery, Pedro rose highest to glance home a header. The £55 million recruit from Brighton has now scored in each of his five starts for the club across all competitions, continuing a fine individual run.
The setback rattled Fulham, and matters got worse after the restart. Just ten minutes into the second half, Ryan Sessegnon was penalised for handball inside the area. The decision again appeared soft, but it handed Fernandez the chance to step up from 12 yards. The Argentine midfielder made no mistake, calmly converting to double Chelsea’s advantage.
From there, Enzo Maresca’s side were largely in control, though there was a late scare when Joachim Andersen’s header seemed destined for the bottom corner. Fortunately for the hosts, Pedro had retreated to his post and was in the right place to clear off the line, underlining his all-round contribution to the evening.
The final whistle confirmed Chelsea’s first home win of the season, lifting spirits at the Bridge after an indifferent start to the campaign. Yet, manager Marco Silva could barely contain his anger in the aftermath, slamming the officials for what he viewed as game-changing errors that denied his team a fair result.
Chelsea, meanwhile, could savour the points but not without concern. Young striker Liam Delap, handed a starting role, was forced off early with what looked like a hamstring problem. His fitness will be assessed during the international break, but the injury slightly tempered an otherwise encouraging night for the Blues.
For Fulham, frustration was the lasting emotion. For Chelsea, relief and momentum going into the break.
