Chelsea forward Liam Delap has explained his late miss against Hull after setting up three goals in the same match, admitting he was convinced the ball had crossed the line.
Delap produced a superb creative display and finished with a hat-trick of assists, but his performance also included one moment he will not want to see again. With the chance to score, the striker somehow failed to convert from close range in an incident that quickly went viral.
Speaking after the game, Delap insisted he believed the effort had gone in. “I thought it went in!” he said, before adding that he only realised what had happened when play continued.
The miss did not end up defining his night, with Delap’s three assists proving decisive as Chelsea got the job done against Hull. Still, the striker accepted it was a frustrating moment, especially given how well everything else had gone for him in the final third.
Delap’s comments offered a clear explanation for the awkward finish: he took it for granted that the ball had crossed the line and did not react as quickly as he should have when it stayed out.
Despite that, the overall takeaway from the game was Delap’s influence in attack, with his passing and decision-making creating three goals and underlining the impact he can have for Chelsea.
