Chelsea complete late comeback against West Ham
Chelsea pulled off a stunning late comeback this evening, snatching a 3-2 victory against West Ham in a thrilling London derby at Stamford Bridge, reports BritPanorama.
The win seemed improbable at half-time, with Chelsea trailing 2-0 after a lacklustre opening 45 minutes. Enzo Fernandez emerged as the hero, firing home in the 92nd minute to spark pandemonium among the home supporters.
New boss Liam Rosenior’s bold substitutions proved pivotal. Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella both found the net to drag Chelsea level before Fernandez’s dramatic late intervention propelled them into fourth place in the Premier League, significantly boosting their Champions League ambitions.
Before the interval, West Ham were utterly dominant, capitalizing on Chelsea’s defensive frailties. Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring in the seventh minute with an inswinging cross that evaded goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Crysencio Summerville doubled the visitors’ lead with a curled finish shortly after, and Chelsea mustered just one effort on target in the first half.
In response to the discontent among the Stamford Bridge faithful, who booed the players off at half-time, Rosenior took decisive action. He substituted the struggling trio of Jorrel Hato, Benoit Badiashile, and Alejandro Garnacho, bringing on Pedro, Cucurella, and Wesley Fofana. The transformation was immediate, as Chelsea began to take control of the match in the second half.
Fofana’s deep cross found Pedro, who headed home in the 57th minute to give the hosts hope. Thirteen minutes later, Cucurella scored following a goalmouth scramble, and suddenly it was all square. As the match reached its climax, West Ham’s Jean-Clair Todibo struck the post, but Fernandez decisively converted Pedro’s cross from close range.
Following the final whistle, Todibo was dismissed after a post-match melee that ensued after a lengthy VAR review. Cucurella remarked on the team’s mentality, stating, “At half-time we spoke, in the end it’s about our mentality and desire we showed in the second half; we are very happy.” Pedro added, “We knew our power. It’s another special day.”
With this victory, Chelsea now sit above Manchester United in the league standings, creating a challenging scenario for rivals as both United and Nottingham Forest prepare for fixtures tomorrow. It’s a striking reminder of football’s unpredictability and the unwavering spirit that can overturn even the direst situations.
