West Ham of NES fails leadership after the referee’s “colossal” error

O West Ham stumbled, on Friday night, in the fight for the leadership of the Championship, second-ranking English, by stalling, at home, with the Queens Park Rangers (1-1), in play of the 8th journey that would be ‘stained’ by an error of the referee. 

The team of Nuno Espírito Santo had open way to jump to the first place of the qualifying table, taking advantage of playing first that Swansea, the current leader, but would end up entering practically losing the meeting by a decision that the referee himself later admitted was wrong. 

Tomas Soucek cut the ball in the big area, using a cart, and Paul Smyth ended up falling on the lawn, leading referee Ruebyn Ricardo to mark a major penalty, although the Czech West Ham player only touched the ball.

Madsen advanced to the mark of maximum punishment and did not forgive, placing the QPR in advantage on the marker at 18 minutes. 

West Ham was only able to react, with more dangerous bids, in the second half and would eventually reach the draw through Captain Jarrod Bowen, at 70 minutes. After a first shot by the English international, which Charles was able to defend, the goal of the hammers took place in the reload, leaving London Stadium on the verge of madness. 

The guardian of the QPR continued to sign important interventions, but the best was for the end. Pablo, former Gil Vicente, was knocked down in the big area, and the referee pointed out penalti. Bowen was called to convert the maximum punishment, but he saw Charles deny it. In the recharge, the goalkeeper still avoided a new shot, which hit the bar before going out the bottom line. 

The draw would thus end up standing at the end of 90 minutes and West Ham stumbled again with 16 points and second place. Swansea, from Vítor Matos, has one more point and only goes to the game this Saturday, with a reception to Norwich City, and can isolate at the top of the Championship table. 

Soucek shocked.. 

At the end of the match, Soucek did not hide the revolt for the bid that motivated the great penalty in favor of the opponent and revealed that the referee told him, after the final whistle, that he misjudged the bid. 

“I was so glad I won the duel and got the ball back! Dand immediately, I didn't understand what the referee was doing, and from my perspective, it was a colossal, colossal mistake. We're simply devastated because when I saw the images it looks even worse. I can't change what happened, but I can't accept“, said the czech international, in statements to Sky Sports. 

“ After the game, the referee told me he was wrong, but during the meeting, he just wouldn't talk to me anymore. I was disappointed you didn't even want to talk to me to explain what you saw. I'm disappointed because it had a big impact on me, but even bigger on the team. It is difficult to accept, but at least we got a point”, lamented Tomas Soucek. 

...and NES admits frustration

In turn, Coach Nuno Espírito Santo also criticized the referee's decision, but did not fail to admit that West Ham was not at the desired level either. 

“We could have won in the end, but we didn't get into the game. Once again, we weren't needed on the pass and our game didn't flow. The first part wasn't good. We were able to react after we were losing and we had opportunities to win the game,” NES said, also on the Sky Sports antenna, recalling the impact of the break in the selections. 

“ We always know that, after a break from the selections, there are some doubts about the players, including those who were in the service of their selections. It may have been an explanation, but we expect a lot more. We have enough quality to do much better“, he avenged, before addressing the polemic penalti. 

“ Unfortunately, it wasn't a good decision. The referee didn't decide right at that moment. The images are clear. There is not much more to say about it ", finished the Portuguese technician.