The Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea on Monday was one of the most controversial and dramatic games in the history of the competition. The match featured five goals, two red cards, five disallowed goals, a penalty, a hat-trick, and countless VAR checks that added 21 minutes of stoppage time. Here is a timeline of the chaotic events that unfolded during the match.
Spurs take an early lead through Kulusevski
The hosts started the game brightly and took the lead in the sixth minute when Dejan Kulusevski scored with a deflected shot that wrong-footed Robert Sanchez. The goal was initially flagged for offside, but VAR overturned the decision and awarded the goal to Spurs.
Son’s goal ruled out for a marginal offside
Tottenham thought they had doubled their lead in the 14th minute when Son Heung-min finished off a brilliant counter-attack with a clinical finish. However, VAR intervened again and ruled out the goal for a very tight offside call. The replays showed that Son’s shoulder was just ahead of the last defender.
Udogie escapes a red card for a reckless challenge
In the 19th minute, Spurs defender Destiny Udogie made a dangerous two-footed tackle on Raheem Sterling, who managed to avoid the full impact of the challenge. The referee Michael Oliver showed a yellow card to Udogie, but VAR checked the incident and decided not to upgrade it to a red card. Many Chelsea fans and pundits felt that Udogie was lucky to stay on the pitch.
Sterling’s goal disallowed for handball
Chelsea responded to the early setback and started to dominate the possession and create chances. In the 22nd minute, Sterling scored with a low shot from inside the box, but his celebrations were cut short by VAR, who spotted a handball by the winger in the build-up. The goal was chalked off and the score remained 1-0 to Spurs.
Romero kicks out at Colwill and gets sent off
In the same minute as Sterling’s disallowed goal, Tottenham defender Cristian Romero kicked out at Levi Colwill in an off-the-ball incident. The referee did not see the foul, but VAR alerted him to check the pitchside monitor. After reviewing the footage, Oliver decided to send off Romero for violent conduct, reducing Spurs to 10 men.
Caicedo’s goal ruled out for offside
Chelsea continued to press for an equalizer and thought they had found it in the 28th minute when Moises Caicedo smashed in a long-range shot that went through the legs of Nicolas Jackson and past Guglielmo Vicario. However, VAR intervened for the fourth time and ruled out the goal for offside, as Jackson was deemed to be obstructing the goalkeeper’s view.
Sterling wins a penalty and scores from the spot
Chelsea finally got their reward in the 36th minute when Sterling was brought down by Vicario in the box. The referee pointed to the spot and VAR confirmed the penalty. Sterling stepped up and converted the spot-kick with a confident strike, making it 1-1.
Jackson scores a hat-trick in the second half
The second half was a one-sided affair, as Chelsea took advantage of their numerical superiority and scored three more goals, all from Jackson. The striker scored his first in the 51st minute with a header from a corner, his second in the 67th minute with a tap-in from a cross, and his third in the 90th minute with a curling shot from the edge of the box. Jackson became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Premier League game that featured two red cards.
Udogie gets a second yellow card and joins Romero in the dressing room
Spurs’ misery was compounded in the 77th minute when Udogie received his second yellow card for a foul on Sterling. The defender, who could have been sent off in the first half, was finally dismissed by the referee, leaving Spurs with nine men.
Spurs fans applaud their team despite the heavy defeat
Despite the 4-1 defeat and the VAR controversy, the Spurs fans showed their appreciation for their team’s effort and spirit. They gave their players a standing ovation at the final whistle and chanted the name of their manager Ange Postecoglou, who suffered his first league defeat in charge of Spurs.
