The wait was less than a minute but for Armando Broja it must have felt like hours. He had just scored his first goal for Chelsea, in the process sealing a much-deserved 3-0 victory against Wolves, when it flashed up on the screens at either side of the pitch at Stamford Bridge that VAR was checking for offside. Cue boos from the majority of those in attendance and a growing sense the strike was going to be ruled out. But soon came confirmation that it stood. The boos turned into cheers and for Broja there was an opportunity to once again celebrate.
He was not the only member of his family to do so. In the stands his parents were also overjoyed, with their son’s breakthrough moment at the weekend particularly special for one of them. “Today is my dad’s [48th] birthday,” Broja said afterwards. “It was a really good gift for him.”
