Noni Madueke did not hesitate when Chelsea was awarded a late penalty against Crystal Palace, thanks to VAR. The young winger quickly took the match ball and prepared himself for what turned out to be the crucial moment of the game.
“I am confident in taking penalties; I scored one earlier this season [against AFC Wimbledon],” Madueke later explained. “So when I saw the VAR give the penalty, there was no doubt in my mind that I would take it.”
Madueke showed no signs of succumbing to pressure. If anything, the 21-year-old embraced it. He went through a stuttered run-up, read goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s intentions, and calmly struck the ball into the opposite corner.
His goal secured a well-deserved victory for Chelsea, ensuring that they signed off at Stamford Bridge in 2023 with three points. Madueke’s impact, after being brought into the game midway through the second period, was crucial.
The Blues had taken an early lead through Mykhailo Mudryk but went into half-time level after Michael Olise scored in stoppage time. Chelsea pushed and probed in the second half and were finally rewarded with one minute of the 90 remaining.
It was Madueke who won the penalty as he drew a foul from Olise following a Chelsea corner. “I knew it was a foul, the only question was whether it was inside or outside the box,” he reflected. “Credit to VAR, they made the right decision.”
The winger continued, “Today was a must-win game. There have been similar games this season that we should have won and haven’t quite had luck on our side. So, I’m pleased that today we’ve done the business and secured the three points.”
Madueke’s appearance against Palace was only his tenth of the season. It has been a campaign of interruptions for the England Under-21 international.
“It’s been a stop-start campaign for me,” he said. “I’ve had little niggles, little injuries, things that haven’t quite gone my way. I’m glad to have made an impact off the bench today and whether I start the next game – or have the same impact off the bench – is up to the manager.”
Their victory over Palace made it six games unbeaten at Stamford Bridge in all competitions. It also closed the gap to the sides above the Blues in the Premier League table ahead of Saturday’s trip to Luton Town.
However, further improvement is still required, something which Madueke highlighted after the win. “It’s about consistency for us at the moment, that is the big thing,” he said.
“We play good football and are scoring goals now – I remember last season we weren’t scoring those goals. We’re probably conceding a few too many but I just feel it’s that consistency we need to achieve. Once we do, we’ll be a really good team.
“We’ve had some very good performances this season where we haven’t had the rub of the green. It’s a process and our current position will not define us by the end of the season.”
