Arthur Masuaku was Africa's unlikely hero in the Premier League this weekend, while Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was defended by Joe Cole, the former West Ham United and Blues midfielder, who claimed the stopper was "not a robot" after perhaps his worst performance yet for the Londoners.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also plumbed new depths amid poor recent form, while Taiwo Awoniyi gave Nigeria reason for succour as they limp towards the Africa Cup of Nations.
When forecasting who could be the match-winner during West Ham's rollercoaster 3-2 victory over Chelsea on Saturday, Democratic Republic of Congo full-back Masuaku would not have been high on the list.
Indeed, the 28-year-old hadn't scored a goal in 95 Premier League outings for the Hammers before his attempted 87th-minute cross duped Mendy and swirled in at the goalkeeper's near post.
The goal secured all three points -- and a well-deserved triumph -- for the hosts, who initially struggled to contain the European champions but roared back into the bout after a tactical re-jig.
Masuaku was typically modest after the match, downplaying his late winner on Instagram.
"So, was it a cross or was it [a] shot?!?" the Leopards full-back wrote on his @masuaku26 handle. "Hint: I was as surprised as you.
"All it takes is hard work...and a bit of luck," he posted later, while also earning the bemused praise of manager David Moyes.
"I said to him that I thought it was a great cross," the Scot told journalists after the match. "It was very fortunate, the goal, but in football you need a bit of fortune sometimes.
"In the last few games we have lost it a little bit, but today we got it back."
The Irons were well worth their three points even before the intervention of their unpredictable substitute.
Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel -- and Mendy -- will surely be dwelling on a recent run of form that has seen the Blues win just two of their past five league games.
Mendy was duped -- as we all were -- by Masuaku's cross, but he would have had time to re-position his body and turn the ball around his near post had his judgement and anticipation been better.
Earlier, he had been culpable for Manuel Lanizini's 40th-minute equalising penalty, when he reacted slowly to Jorginho's back pass, attempted to dribble past the excellent Jarrod Bowen, and clumsily sliced town the lively attacker.
It's not been a terrific week for Mendy, who missed out on the Yashin Award at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony having previously put his team under pressure with his poor passing in the draw against Manchester United.
Edouard Mendy of Chelsea fails to stop West Ham's third goal scored by Arthur Masuaku. Was it a shot, or a cross? Alex Pantling/Getty Images
It feels churlish to criticise a goalkeeper who has exceeded expectations since arriving in English football, although Tuchel did acknowledge his stopper's role in a disappointing defeat.
"Everybody is involved," the German coach said of the Hammers' first goal. "The pass [from Jorginho] is not the best decision to pass this ball back, the orientation is not the best, we can save it. Decision making is also not the best from [Mendy] in this moment, and then suddenly you concede."
Cole, speaking in the BT Sports studio, was quick to defend the Senegal No. 1.
"Mendy was at fault for the penalty," the ex-England midfielder said. "[Masuaku's goal] was a freak of a goal. You can't blame him. He's been outstanding for such a long time.
"Goalkeepers are human beings, not robots. It would take something like that to beat this Chelsea team -- a world-class goal or something out of the ordinary."
SOURCE : Espn
