Chelsea fans fume after Christopher Nkunku misses penalty in FA Cup win over Morecambe
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Christopher Nkunku was at the centre of a controversial moment during Chelsea’s 5-0 FA Cup win over Morecambe on Saturday. Chelsea were expected to sweep aside the League Two club when they met at Stamford Bridge in the third round of the cup. And they looked on track to do that early on when they were awarded a penalty in the 17th minute for a handball in the box, though Morecambe’s players were adamant the ball had rolled out of play before Joao Felix kicked it into Yann Songo’o.
With regular penalty taker Cole Palmer on the bench, Nkunku stepped up to the spot but was denied by Harry Burgoyne, who then did brilliantly to save the Frenchman’s rebound. The Shrimps keeper then made another incredible save to deny Felix, earning huge praise from those watching.
But some were left unhappy, as replays showed that Burgoyne had come off his line to save Nkunku’s penalty but as there is no VAR for this round of the FA Cup, the spot-kick could not be retaken. ‘An absolutely stunning save,’ former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis observed on Final Score.
‘Unfortunately, the goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne does come off his line. If VAR had been there, there would have been a retake of that penalty. But, there isn’t VAR and it’s a brilliant save for Morecambe.’. ‘The Morecambe keeper was miles off his line for the penalty,’ Arsenal legend Paul Merson added on Sky Sports.
