Chelsea 2-0 Fulham: Fernández seals win as VAR dominates debate | OneFootball

Chelsea maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Fulham at Stamford Bridge, in a match that saw no VAR intervention.

Josh King thought he had given the visitors the lead, but VAR ruled it out before João Pedro put the hosts ahead just before half-time.

Enzo Fernández then sealed the win with a second-half penalty, giving Chelsea a solid platform heading into the international break.

As it happened

Fulham controlled much of the first half and believed they had taken a vital lead in the 21st minute through King. However, referee Robert Jones was sent to the monitor, where a foul by Rodrigo Muniz on Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up meant the goal was disallowed for offside.

The decision proved controversial, with many pundits and fans questioning why the 18-year-old’s first senior goal had been ruled out.

Pedro struck a dagger to the away side’s first-half performance, heading in his second goal of the season from a corner. It was a crucial breakthrough for the Blues, who had struggled to find rhythm before the break. Fulham boss Marco Silva was left furious with Jones’s decision and confronted the referee at half-time, only to be sent down the tunnel.

Another controversial call from Jones handed Chelsea a penalty in the 56th minute, after Ryan Sessegnon was judged to have raised his arms to block Chalobah’s shot. Enzo Fernández calmly converted from the spot, giving the world champions a vital second goal.

Chelsea then managed the game with relative ease to secure all three points, though the match is likely to be remembered for the ongoing debate around VAR and Jones’s officiating.

The Lineups

CHE: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Estevao, Pedro, Neto; Delap

FUL: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey; Castagne, Lukic, Berge, Sessegnon; King, Iwobi; Muniz