Chelsea Leads Fulham 1-0 at Halftime of Tense West London Derby

Ohana Magazine – In the West London derby at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea grabbed an early advantage. Joao Pedro’s injury-time header sealed a 1–0 lead at the interval.

VAR Controversy Escalates After Fulham’s Disallowed Goal

Fulham thought they had taken the lead in the 21st minute when Josh King scored off a fast counter. However, VAR intervened and ruled out the goal due to a “careless challenge” by Rodrigo Muniz on Trevoh Chalobah during the buildup. Many—fans and pundits alike—reacted angrily to the decision.

Early Substitution Hits Chelsea

Just 14 minutes into the game, Chelsea lost Liam Delap to a hamstring injury. They brought on Tyrique George in his place. Despite the setback, the Blues remained composed and dictated most of the play.

Pedro’s Header Makes the Difference

Just before the break, Enzo Fernandez floated in a corner that Joao Pedro met with a well-placed header. Chelsea finally opened the scoring in stoppage time.

Tactical Battle Between Teams

Chelsea held more possession but struggled to crack Fulham’s defense. On the other hand, Fulham tried to counter but missed key opportunities. The disallowed goal intensified the match’s emotional charge.

First Half in Review

Chelsea edged ahead thanks to solid defense and timely execution. Meanwhile, Fulham must regroup and shore up their response for the second half.