In a thrilling Premier League London derby at the Emirates Stadium, Riccardo Calafiori appeared to have equalized early in the first half for Chelsea, only to see his goal disallowed by VAR.

The match kicked off with a bang as Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead just two minutes in, stunning the reigning champions with a sublime finish. After a poorly cleared free kick from Reece James, Rogers volleyed the ball into the bottom corner, giving Chelsea a surprising lead.

The Gunners responded quickly, with Calafiori bundling the ball in from close range in the 12th minute, seemingly leveling the score. The sequence began with Declan Rice’s free kick, which Ezri Konsa nearly converted after hitting the post. However, VAR intervened, ruling that Konsa had been offside when Calafiori's shot was taken, and that the ball may have deflected off him before crossing the line. This left the home crowd in disbelief, though replays indicated the decision was accurate.

Shortly after the disallowed goal, Kai Havertz stepped up for Arsenal, equalizing in the 25th minute. He maneuvered through the Chelsea defense and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot that slipped past Emi Martinez, making it 1-1 against his former club. Arsenal fans celebrated as the match continued in a high-stakes, end-to-end fashion.