- West Ham were denied a stoppage time penalty in their defeat to Freiburg
- Official noticed important detail on review and rightly did not award spot kick
- Ollie Watkins is in the form of his life and will be licking his chops ready for Spurs – It’s All Kicking Off podcast
The reason West Ham were not given a late penalty in their Europa League defeat against Freiburg has been revealed.
David Moyes’ side had failed to take their chances at the Europa-Park Stadion, and found themselves a goal down heading into the closing stages after Michael Gregoritsch netted late for the hosts.
With four minutes of stoppage time to play the Hammers looked to have been handed a lifeline after the referee consulted with VAR for a potential penalty after Noah Weisshaupt appeared to handle the ball inside the box.
Several minutes passed as the official reviewed the footage, but the visitors were left disappointed as he elected not to point to the spot.
The decision proved highly controversial on social media as fans questioned how a penalty had not been given when the video review clearly showed contact between Weisshaupt’s hand and the ball.
According to ESPN editor Dale Johnson, the referee’s decision not to award a penalty based on an exemption in the rules regarding handball.
He explains that the referee made the decision after noting that the ball was originally kicked by Weisshaupt, before making contact with Tomas Soucek and rebounding onto his arm.
Analysis of the referee’s view of the VAR playback appears to confirm this, as the last angle definitively shows Weisshaupt deliberately making the initial contact rather than Soucek.
The decision making process forced stoppage time to be further extended but the Hammers were ultimately unable to find an equaliser.
Moyes will be hoping for a much more positive showing from his side when they welcome the Bundesliga team to the London Stadium on Thursday.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
