PL2 : Chelsea's Flying Eagles-eligible fullback red-carded by Anglo-Nigerian referee v West Ham

Premier League 2 table toppers Chelsea suffered a first defeat since August as they were beaten 3-2 by West Ham United at  Kingsmeadow on Friday, January 27.

Flying Eagles-eligible fullback Derrick Abu returned to Chelsea's starting lineup after he was an unused substitute in another London derby against Fulham last weekend. 

George Earthy found the bottom corner to break the deadlock in the 12th minute and the Hammers had a second in the 27th minute as Divin Mubama, at the second attempt, poked the ball home after a corner was poorly defended. 

Two minutes before West Ham's second goal, Abu was yellow carded for a foul. 

Just past the half-hour mark, Chelsea were back in it as a brilliant finish from Charlie Webster halved the deficit but Mubama on the stroke of halftime restored West Ham's two-goal advantage. 

Mason Burstow tapped home an inviting cross from Harvey Vale to make it 3-2 in the 69th minute.

With ten minutes to play, Abu was sent off by Anglo-Nigerian referee Aji Ajibola for a second bookable offense. 

The Chelsea number 2, who was already on a booking, made a harsh tackle on Kamarai Swyer as he tried to prevent a counter. 

Initially, Ajibola, who speaks Yoruba and is one of the few black referees in the top seven leagues of English football, could not find his card, but fortunately he did and rightly dismissed his compatriot. 

Abu had never been red-carded in 31 league games for Chelsea youth teams before the meeting with West Ham. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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