Exclusive: Ex-refs chief reveals Sunderland’s winner vs Chelsea should have been ‘chalked off’
Chemsdine Talbi’s added-time winner for Sunderland against Chelsea on Saturday should not have stood due to Robert Sanchez being impeded by an offside player.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that Lutsharel Geertruida should have been penalised by referee Andy Madley for his role in the late winner at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea started the brighter side and soon took the lead inside four minutes as Alejandro Garnacho finished neatly under Robin Roefs after a quick breakaway.
Sunderland have been the Premier League’s surprise package this season, though, and they did not lie down and accept their fate as Wilson Isidor bundled home an equaliser from a long-throw in the 22nd minute.
The second period saw the Blues dominate the ball but struggle to make clear-cut chances, and it eventually went the visitors’ way as Chemsdine Talbi bagged an added-time winner to help Sunderland beat Chelsea 2-1, but there was controversy around the late goal.
Chemsdine Talbi nets late winner as Chelsea call for Lutsharel Geertruida offside
Talbi’s 93rd minute strike sent the Stamford Bridge away end into raptures, but Chelsea’s players and fans felt hard done by due to Geertruida’s role in potentially impeding Sanchez.
Substitute striker Brian Brobbey had held the ball up well after a long ball forward by his compatriot, who then sprinted up-field to join the former Ajax man in the Chelsea penalty area.
Brobbey passed it to Talbi instead of finding Geertruida, and the 20-year-old slotted home coolly to win it in dramatic fashion for the Black Cats.
By the time Talbi had shot and scored past Sanchez, Geertruida, who joined Sunderland on loan from RB Leipzig in the summer, had bypassed the Blues’ defensive line into an offside position and was standing in the line of Sanchez’s vision.
Referee Andy Madley made a few poor decisions during Sunderland’s win at Chelsea, and this was seemingly another to add to the list as the hosts went home empty-handed.
Keith Hackett blasts lack of VAR intervention for ‘offside’ Sunderland goal
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the late winner, former PGMOL chief Hackett insisted that Sunderland‘s goal should not have stood as Geertruida blocked Sanchez’s line of vision to the ball while being offside.
He said: “Whilst I do not like to see goals chalked off for offside, I am surprised that the referee was not asked to visit the Pitchside Monitor to put his stamp of approval, or otherwise in the decision to rule out the goal.
The offside law states: ‘interfering with an opponent by preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision.’
“It is my belief that the Sunderland player standing in an offside position does impact on the Chelsea goalkeeper, and the goal should be ruled out for an offside offence.”