Premier League Explains Why Riccardo Calafiori's Goal vs Chelsea Was Disallowed by VAR
- The Premier League released an official statement clarifying the VAR decision that ruled out Calafiori's goal against Chelsea on Sunday, September 6
- Ezri Konsa was found to be in an offside position during the build-up, which led referee Chris Kavanagh to overturn the goal at pitchside
- Arsenal faced an early setback after Morgan Rogers gave Chelsea the lead inside the opening two minutes of the match
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The Premier League has officially explained the Video Assistant Referee call that ruled out Riccardo Calafiori's goal during Arsenal's fixture against Chelsea on Sunday, September 6.
Chelsea came flying out of the blocks, with Morgan Rogers finding the net within the first two minutes to hand the visitors a shock early advantage.
Source: Getty Images
Arsenal responded quickly, and Calafiori appeared to have levelled things up at close range, turning home from a goalmouth scramble following a set-piece delivery.
The Italian defender ran off to celebrate with his teammates, but referee Chris Kavanagh was soon called to the pitchside monitor before overturning his original decision.
Why Calafiori's goal was disallowed
The Premier League's official X account, which publishes real-time clarifications on key match decisions, confirmed the reason for the disallowance:
"VAR checked the referee's call of goal, and determined that Konsa was in an offside position in the build-up and recommended that the goal was disallowed."
Ezri Konsa's positioning at a critical point in the sequence before Calafiori converted was therefore the central issue.
Officials ruled that Konsa had interfered with play while standing in an offside position, meaning the goal could not stand regardless of Calafiori's own position when he tapped in.
It was a frustrating moment for the home side, who had looked to have quickly cancelled out Chelsea's opener only to have the celebration cut short by the officials.
Havertz and Odegaard turn the game for Arsenal
Losing the disallowed goal did not derail Arsenal's momentum for long.
As seen on Livescore, Kai Havertz put the Gunners level in the 25th minute, ensuring Mikel Arteta's side went into half-time on equal terms with Chelsea despite the turbulent opening exchanges.
After the break, Arsenal pushed for the lead and captain Martin Odegaard delivered it in the 50th minute, putting the defending Premier League champions ahead against Xabi Alonso's side.
It was a significant moment in the contest, with the skipper giving Arsenal control after a chaotic first period that had seen a goal disallowed, an early concession, and a hard-fought equaliser.
The match underlined how quickly fortunes can shift in top-flight football, with the outcome of the game hinging not only on what happened on the pitch but also on a VAR review that wiped out what could have been an early turning point for the Gunners.
EPL star aims dig at VAR
In a related development, Legit.ng reported about Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams' strong reaction to the controversial VAR decision that disallowed his close-range goal in the team's goalless draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
With Forest struggling for form, the disallowed goal has raised further scrutiny about VAR's role in modern football, prompting fans and players alike to question the clarity and fairness of officiating decisions.
Source: Legit.ng
