Ten-Man West Ham Stuns Chelsea with 3-1 Victory at London Stadium
In a thrilling showdown at London Stadium, ten-man West Ham United secured a remarkable 3-1 victory over Chelsea, marking their first win of the season and dealing a blow to Mauricio Pochettino's side, who are still winless after two matches.
The action-packed match saw West Ham taking an early lead in the seventh minute, as Nayef Aguerd's powerful header from James Ward-Prowse's corner put the home team ahead. Ward-Prowse, making his West Ham debut, showcased his dead-ball prowess by earning his 25th Premier League assist from such situations, second only to Christian Eriksen (29) since his debut in 2012/13.
Chelsea's response was swift, with Carney Chukwuemeka equalizing just before the half-hour mark. The midfielder demonstrated composure and skill, sidestepping Tomas Soucek to fire a brilliant shot past Alphonse Areola, netting his first Premier League goal.
The Blues had a golden opportunity to take the lead before halftime when Raheem Sterling was fouled by Soucek in the box, resulting in a penalty. However, Enzo Fernandez's spot-kick was saved by a diving Areola.
West Ham reclaimed the lead against the run of play in the 54th minute, as Michail Antonio struck a thunderous shot into the bottom-left corner. Antonio's strength and skill were on full display as he evaded defenders to make his way into the box and find the net.
The match took a dramatic turn when Aguerd, who had earlier been the hero, was shown a red card for a second bookable offense, leaving West Ham with ten men. Despite Chelsea's 75.6% possession dominance, they couldn't find an equalizer.
In stoppage time, West Ham delivered the final blow to Chelsea's hopes. British record signing Moises Caicedo fouled Emerson in the box, resulting in a penalty for West Ham. Lucas Paqueta confidently converted the penalty, securing West Ham's first victory over Chelsea since December 2021 and handing Chelsea their first-ever four-game losing streak in Premier League London derbies.
The action continues in London as Crystal Palace and Arsenal gear up for another heated derby clash on Monday. Both teams come into the encounter with momentum, having secured wins in Matchweek 1. Palace emerged triumphant with a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United and received a boost with Michael Olise signing a new contract. Arsenal, on the other hand, notched a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest and could introduce new signing David Raya, although they'll be missing Jurrien Timber due to an ACL injury sustained on the opening weekend.
