Eberechi Eze’s stunning free-kick against Chelsea was disallowed due to a breach of the laws of the game regarding defensive walls during free kicks. Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace’s captain, was deemed to be less than 1 meter away from the Chelsea wall when Eze took the set piece, infringing the rule that requires attacking players to maintain a minimum distance ¹ ².

The Incident

In the 13th minute of the match, Eze scored a thunderous free-kick that flew past Robert Sanchez, but the goal was flagged for review by VAR referee James Bell. After consulting the pitchside monitor, referee Darren England explained the decision to the crowd, stating, “Away number 6 [Guehi] is less than one metre away from the wall as the shot is taken. Therefore, it’s an indirect free kick and a disallowed goal” ¹ ².

The Rule

The laws of the game state that “where three or more defending team players form a ‘wall’, all attacking team players must remain at least 1 m (1 yd) from the ‘wall’ until the ball is in play”. This rule aims to ensure player safety and prevent interference with the defensive wall ¹.

Reactions

The decision sparked debate among pundits, with some questioning its harshness. Former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell praised Eze’s strike but questioned the consistency of such decisions, noting, “How many times have we seen that in the past where there’s blocking? If that is the precedent set on the opening weekend it has to stay for the season” ¹.

Impact on the Game

The disallowed goal meant the match remained goalless at halftime, with Chelsea using the setback as motivation to regain a foothold in the game. Despite their efforts, they were unable to find a breakthrough before halftime ².

Referee’s Explanation

The Premier League’s decision to have referees explain their VAR decisions aims to reduce confusion and provide clarity. In this case, England’s explanation helped clarify the reasoning behind the disallowance, although many fans and viewers were left puzzled by the decision ¹.