Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four with a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory over West Ham at Stamford Bridge. Despite a slow and uninspiring performance for much of the match, two scrappy second-half goals ensured that Enzo Maresca’s side took all three points.
West Ham took the lead just before halftime when Jarrod Bowen capitalized on a defensive mistake. Levi Colwill’s misplaced backpass put Chelsea under pressure, and when Moisés Caicedo failed to react quickly, Bowen raced through and finished calmly past Filip Jörgensen. The visitors had been well-organized and competitive throughout the first half, frustrating Chelsea and creating some good opportunities of their own. Mohammed Kudus, Andy Irving, and Bowen all had chances, while Chelsea struggled to break through a disciplined West Ham defense.
Chelsea nearly equalized before the break when Cole Palmer’s free-kick forced a brilliant save from Alphonse Areola. However, the home side needed a more aggressive approach in the second half to avoid a damaging defeat. Maresca reacted by bringing on Pedro Neto for the ineffective Jadon Sancho and introducing Marc Guiu for Nicolas Jackson, who extended his goal drought to eight games.
West Ham, despite their injury struggles and a depleted squad, continued to hold firm. Their defensive shape and organization made it difficult for Chelsea to create clear-cut chances. The frustration was evident among the home fans as Chelsea struggled to generate attacking momentum. Tosin Adarabioyo blasted a long-range effort high over the bar, and Noni Madueke, in an unusual sequence, accidentally knocked over the referee while trying to find space.
However, the pressure eventually paid off. Chelsea’s equalizer came in scrappy fashion after a chaotic moment inside the box. Neto’s cross from the right caused panic in the West Ham defense, and after a blocked shot from Enzo Fernández, Neto reacted quickest to fire in the rebound. West Ham protested for offside, believing that Guiu had deflected the ball toward Marc Cucurella, but VAR upheld the goal.
With momentum shifting, Chelsea pressed for a winner. Neto played a crucial role again, winning possession in a duel with Bowen before sparking the decisive move. Palmer picked up the ball, skipped past Vladimir Coufal, and sent a dangerous cross into the box. A stroke of fortune saw the ball take a heavy deflection off Aaron Wan-Bissaka, wrong-footing Areola and ending up in the net.
The late turnaround secured a crucial victory for Chelsea, pushing them back into the top four despite an unconvincing performance. For West Ham, it was a frustrating night after a spirited display, but they could take some positives from their effort and organization. In the end, Chelsea’s persistence and second-half energy proved just enough to claim the win.