CHELSEA fans are adamant their penalty against West Ham should have been retaken because of encroachment.
Enzo Fernandez spurned a golden opportunity to put the Blues 2-1 up in their London derby with the Hammers from the spot just before the half-time interval.
GETTYTomas Soucek gave away a penalty in the first half of West Ham’s clash with Chelsea.[/caption]
SKY SPORTSReplays appeared to show the Czech Republic international encroached the spot kick[/caption]
REUTERSFernandez cut a frustrated figure after his penalty miss[/caption]
Blues fans were furious with the miss, although they were even more irate after seeing that Hammers midfielder Tomas Soucek entered the box before the ball was struck.
One of the Stamford Bridge faithful tweeted: “Sky Sports showing Soucek encroached on the penalty, should have been re-taken.”
Another said: “I got laughed at for saying this. Was a poor penalty but it should have been retaken.”
And another said: “Sky Sports saying Souček encroached and are asking for clarification.”
One remarked: “Playing basketball in the box last year and encroached for the penalty this year. Soucek.”
Another chimed in: “Sky Sports showing Soucek encroached on the penalty, should have been re-taken. How has the ref, linesman and VAR missed that?”
Soucek’s apparent encroachment was a topic for Sky Sport’s pundits during the half-time interval.
But even they weren’t sure if the midfielder did indeed violate the rule and encroached on Fernandez’s missed spot-kick.
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The official Premier League rule on encroachment states: “For player encroachment in the box, it is now judged on any part of a player’s body that is on the ground when the kick is taken.
“Therefore, if any part of the foot is on the penalty area or arc line it is encroachment.
“The player must still have a material impact on the outcome of the kick.”
Going off the Prem ruling on encroachment, a spot-kick must be retaken if the attacking team encroaches and the penalty is saved.
An indirect free kick is awarded if it is missed.
If the defending team encroaches on the box and the kick is scored, the goal will stand.
If it’s missed or saved, then it is retaken.
Fernandez paid the price for a poor penalty in the 57th minute when Michail Antonio fired the hosts 2-1 up with a rocket of a strike from just inside the 18-yard box.
And Lucas Paqueta put the final nail in the Blues’ coffin with a stoppage-time penalty.