João Félix scores 1st Chelsea goal in 1-1 draw with West Ham

Feb 11, 2023, 10:33 am

LONDON -- — João Félix’s second match for Chelsea went better than his first.

The Portugal forward scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday on his return from a three-game suspension following a sending-off on his debut a month ago.

Félix guided home a volley off a cross from another new signing, Enzo Fernandez, in the 16th minute only for Emerson Palmieri — a former Chelsea player — to equalize in the 28th.

It was a third straight draw for Chelsea’s expensively assembled team, which is languishing in midtable in what increasingly appears a forlorn bid to qualify for the Champions League.

In an action-packed finale, West Ham had a goal by Tomas Soucek disallowed for an offside in the buildup and Chelsea had appeals for a penalty waved away after Soucek appeared to handle the ball when blocking Conor Gallagher’s shot.

------