Tomas Soucek thankfully didn’t let his head drop when he saw what would have been his first goal for West Ham ruled out in the first half of the Hammer’s 3-2 victory against Chelsea in a superb London derby on Wednesday evening.
The on-loan Hammers midfielder did eventually score his first goal for the club since making the move from Slavia Prague in January against Chelsea, heading home Jarrod Bowen’s corner back across Kepa Arrizabalaga and Tammy Abraham couldn’t clear off the line.
Ten minutes earlier, Soucek thought he’d got off the mark when he stabbed home from close-range but the goal was ruled out by VAR official Jon Moss after a near four-minute check at Stockley Park.
The official review of the goal from the Premier League was: “The on-field decision was to award the goal, but the VAR advised the referee that [Michail] Antonio was in an offside position and directly in the line of vision of Kepa Arrizabalaga.”
Soucek had scored an own goal the previous game as West Ham lost to Spurs and it looked as though his run of bad luck was set to continue. However, he rose highest above Cesar Azpilicueta just ten minutes after the disappointment to head home.
West Ham’s players barely celebrated as they were expecting another VAR check but none came and the Hammers clawed themselves level after Willian’s penalty had given the visitors the lead five minutes before the break.
The Hammers midfielder was superb throughout against Chelsea as the Hammers were without captain Mark Noble for the game through injury.
On his goal being ruled out, Soucek said: “I was a bit angry because, in the last game, I scored an own-goal after a handball and then, against Chelsea, I scored and I think Michail didn’t touch the ball. He told me he didn’t touch it too.
“But then luck was on our side and I was able to score my first goal for West Ham ten minutes later.”
The Hammers hold a £16million permanent option on the 25-year-old midfielder should they secure their top flight status for another season between now and July 26 and both the club and player have expressed a desire to get a deal sorted if West Ham stay up.
During lockdown back in May, Soucek admitted he wanted a permanent stay in east London, saying: “The next step would be saving West Ham’s Premier League status and completing my transfer,” Soucek said.
“I’ve played a few games in the Premier League and I look forward to playing many more.”
