Bournemouth vs Chelsea: Why Antoine Semenyo’s Goal Was Disallowed by VAR
- Antoine Semenyo’s early strike for Bournemouth in their Premier League clash against Chelsea was ruled out after an extended VAR review
- The decision immediately stirred debate among fans, with many arguing that the Black Stars forward had been harshly denied
- Semenyo is still chasing his seventh goal for the Cherries in the Premier League this season, having last scored two months ago
Ghanaian international Antoine Semenyo thought he had handed AFC Bournemouth a dream start against Chelsea, only for his early finish to be ruled out after a long VAR inspection.
The lively attacker struck inside the opening minutes of the matchday 14 contest at the Vitality Stadium, reacting quickest when Trevoh Chalobah’s attempted clearance dropped kindly in front of him.
Source: Getty Images
He celebrated with conviction, and the home crowd erupted, but the joy lasted only a moment.
Referee Michael Oliver soon received instructions to pause the restart and review the sequence leading to the goal.
From Stockley Park, Craig Pawson and his assistant Alex Chilowicz examined every angle, according to Football London.
The review dragged on as they assessed whether any Bournemouth player had been involved from an offside position before Semenyo converted. After a detailed check, they advised that the goal should not stand.
Watch Semenyo's disallowed goal:
Oliver relayed the decision, prompting frustration inside the stadium and sparking heated debate online.
Many supporters expressed their anger on X (formerly Twitter):
@Samonmeds wrote:
"CHEATS."
@SatoshiSavant added:
"That is unfair."
@Blancha_rd claimed:
"Chelsea paying the refs as usual."
Why Semenyo's goal was disallowed
To provide clarity, the Premier League shared an official explanation from the Match Centre.
"VAR checked the referee’s call of goal – and established that Evanilson was in an offside position in the build up and recommended that the goal was disallowed."
The ruling referred to Law 11.2 of the IFAB Laws of the Game, which states that a player in an offside position is penalised only when involved in active play. This includes touching the ball or interfering with the phase.
Although a forward can stand in an offside position without consequences, any action that affects play changes the outcome.
In this case, Evanilson attempted to score before his effort was blocked, and the loose ball reached Semenyo.
That involvement triggered the offside offence, leading officials to conclude that the goal had to be cancelled.
Semenyo's dry spell in front of goal
For Semenyo, the moment brought deep frustration, especially as the game ended in a goalless draw. The disallowed strike would have ended his six-match goal drought.
His last effort came on October 3, 2025, when he scored twice and set up another in a spirited Bournemouth comeback against Fulham.
Source: Getty Images
Semenyo, who has been backed to leave Bournemouth, will hope that his sharp movement in the early stages against Chelsea is a sign that his form is edging back.
He will turn his attention to Manchester United, where the Cherries will face the Red Devils on December 15 at Old Trafford.
Semenyo's dream club revealed
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the club Antoine Semenyo aspires to join has surfaced, coinciding with his impressive form in the English Premier League.
Tottenham and Liverpool are said to be the leading contenders interested in signing the AFC Bournemouth star and Black Stars forward.
Source: YEN.com.gh
