Why Soucek’s goal vs Arsenal was given despite ball seemingly going over goalline: explained

Why Soucek’s goal vs Arsenal was given despite ball seemingly going over goalline: explained

Why Soucek’s goal vs Arsenal was given despite ball seemingly going over goalline: explained

Tomas Soucek was able to put West Ham United in the lead against Arsenal in rather controversial fashion.

While his finish was clean, the circumstances leading to the goal definitely weren’t. It appeared that Jarrod Bowen, who assisted it, had passed the ball after it went over the line.

After the goal, the VAR officials took a really long time looking at different angles to decipher whether the ball was in or outside the line.

In the end, the goal was given. This was because there was no ‘conclusive evidence’ found by the officials that the ball had gone out the line.

This has, understandably, infuriated a lot of Arsenal fans because on the TV replays – it looked like the ball had gone over the line.

The VAR officials are yet to exactly describe what caused them to approve this goal, which is probably going to be done  after the game.

Full Time: Arsenal 0-2 West Ham

Arsenal miss chance to go top | West Ham up to sixth

Raya saved Benrahma penalty after Rice – of all people – conceded penalty

Mavropanos struck against his former club for 2-0 (Assist: JWP) View post

Soucek tapped in controversial opener with no angle to show ball went out from Bowen assist View post

Second Half: Arsenal 0-2 West Ham

• As it stands: Arsenal missing chance to go top | WH up to sixth
• Jesus misses two big chances as Arteta goes all out attack with subs  View post
• Mavropanos struck against his former club for 2-0 (Assist: JWP)  View post
• Saka struck post from close range as Arsenal dominated first half  View post
• Soucek tapped in controversial opener with no angle to show ball went out from Bowen assist  View post
• Teams | Watch free match

Arsenal furious after being hit by same VAR controversy that sparked Mikel Arteta meltdown in Newcastle clash

ARSENAL have been left fuming after Thomas Soucek opened the scoring for West Ham with a controversial goal.

The goal was reviewed by VAR for several minutes as officials checked if the ball had gone out of play before Jarrod Bowen passed to Soucek to score.

VAR checked if the ball went out of play before Jarrod Bowen’s pass

Arsenal suffered a similar fate at Newcastle earlier this season

Replays could not show definitive proof as Bowen’s body blocked the ball from the main camera angle.

The camera from the opposite side of the pitch was also unhelpful and that meant VAR told the referee to stick with his on-pitch decision, which was a goal.

Arsenal suffered a similar fate in their 1-0 defeat at Newcastle earlier this season.

On that occasion Bruno Guimaraes was judged to have kept the ball in play by a matter of inches, with Anthony Gordon eventually bundling in his cross.

The incident sparked a meltdown from Mikel Arteta who brandished the officials a “disgrace” for allowing the goal to stand.

Arsenal published a letter after the match calling on the PGMOL to “address the standard of officiating”.

Gunners fans are fuming again with some claiming they have been “robbed” by VAR.

One Gooner said: “VAR hates Arsenal. Clearly out. Happened twice this season.”

GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 West Ham (Soucek, 13)

Soucek slams home to give West Ham the lead!

What a complete mess this is from an Arsenal perspective.

Emerson’s cross is kept alive by Bowen, who pokes the ball across goal where Soucek was there unmarked to smash beyond Raya.

VAR will check whether the ball went out before Bowen reached it. Borderline on replays…

Arsenal team news

Team to play West Ham: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Trossard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

Substitutes: Ramsdale, Cedric, Kiwior, Jorginho, Elneny, Nwaneri, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Nketiah.

West Ham team news

West Ham team to face Arsenal: Areola, Coufal, Ogbonna, Mavropanos, Emerson, Alvarez, Soucek, Paqueta, Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Bowen.

Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Cresswell, Fornals, Cornet, Ings, Benrahma, Mubama,