{"id":1256123,"date":"2022-04-07T22:17:58","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T21:17:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1256123"},"modified":"2026-02-24T16:22:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:22:47","slug":"west-ham-lyon-referee-joe-cole-difficult","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/west-ham-lyon-referee-joe-cole-difficult\/","title":{"rendered":"“He’s given everything to them” – Joe Cole blasts referee as 10-man West Ham hold Lyon in Europa League"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joe Cole blasted the referee for his performance as 10-man West Ham held Lyon to a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.<\/strong><\/p>\n

West Ham have been enjoying their European tour this season, topping their Europa League group, but the knockout rounds have not been kind to the Hammers.<\/p>\n

First, they were drawn against serial Europa League winners in the last-16 and then French giants Lyon. With the first leg at home, though, West Ham fans will have been confident about their sides chances as long as it was a fairly called contest.<\/p>\n

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The first half was fairly even and West Ham may have slightly edged things with their opportunities, but the Hammers’s chances of winning took a hit in the closing minutes. Lyon were on the attack with Moussa Dembele, though the Frenchman still had a bit to do to trouble Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal.<\/p>\n

Dembele was brought down just on the edge of the area by Aaron Cresswell in what some might have dubbed a smart foul by the Englishman. But, despite the fact that Dembele was moving away from goal and West Ham had cover, Cresswell was shown a red card by referee Felix Zwayer.<\/p>\n

Cresswell was the first ever West Ham player to be shown a red card in European competition, and former Hammers midfielder Cole was not happy with the referee’s decision or performance.<\/p>\n