West Ham suffered a late defeat to Freiburg in their UEFA Europa League last-16 first leg, with manager David Moyes lamenting a controversial VAR decision. The German side took the lead through Michael Gregoritsch in the 81st minute, but West Ham felt aggrieved when appeals for a penalty were denied in stoppage time after the ball struck Noah Weisshaupt's arm in the penalty area.
Referee Alejandro Hernandez took more than four minutes to review the incident on VAR but ultimately decided against awarding a penalty, leading to West Ham's 1-0 loss. Moyes expressed his frustration, describing the decision as "difficult" to digest.
Moyes believed the handball should have been penalized, stating, "I thought at the time his arm was above his head." He acknowledged the inconsistency in handball decisions across Europe but expressed his belief that the incident should have been awarded a penalty based on UEFA's criteria.
While Moyes and his players were baffled by the decision, he tried to understand the referee's perspective, saying, "I think because of that most times I would see that as a penalty kick. So I find it very difficult to see why not, and it was harsh on us. But that's it, didn't go for us tonight."
When asked about the referee's explanation, Moyes indicated that Tomas Soucek's kick onto Weisshaupt's arm should have been penalized, especially considering the arm's position. He also mentioned that a potential push in the build-up should have resulted in a free kick if deemed a foul.
Despite the disappointment, Moyes remained focused on the second leg in London, where West Ham will aim to overturn the deficit against Freiburg.
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