February 11, (THEWILL) – Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw against West Ham United on Saturday afternoon, in a heated match at the London Stadium.
Chelsea Manager, Graham Potter, went with an attacking lineup featuring key players such as Kai Havertz and Joao Felix, and the Blues dominated early on in the game.
The game took a sour note when Hammers’ midfielder, Lucas Paqueta, had to leave the pitch due to injury after just 13 minutes, making the home side change their game plan with the introduction of Tomas Soucek. Joao Felix gave Chelsea the lead in the game with a well-placed shot past West Ham keeper, Lukasz Fabianksi, in the 16th minute.
However, in the 28th minute, former Chelsea player Emerson scored for West Ham, equalising the game at 1-1. Both teams had several chances to take the lead in the first half, but solid defending and good goalkeeping kept the score level at halftime. In the second half, Chelsea made a strong start but was unable to create any major chances. Meanwhile, West Ham pushed for a winner, with a Soucek goal in the 83rd minute that was overturned by VAR and ultimately, the game ended in a draw.
The result keeps both teams’ current runs intact, with Chelsea continuing to struggle and West Ham reviving. The Blues will travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, while West Ham will play Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby on February 19.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
