Tomas Soucek says referee admitted penalty error after West Ham draw

Tomas Soucek says referee Ruebyn Ricardo admitted he was wrong to award QPR a penalty during their 1–1 draw with West Ham.

The midfielder was penalised for a challenge on Paul Smyth, despite replays showing him winning the ball outside the penalty area.

Nicolas Madsen converted the spot-kick to put QPR ahead at the London Stadium on Friday night.

Tomas Soucek reveals referee conversation

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Soucek said Ricardo acknowledged the mistake at full-time but had been unwilling to discuss the incident during play.

“After the game, he told me he was wrong, but during the game, he just didn’t want to speak with me any more.”

Soucek said he wanted an explanation of what the official had seen and felt the decision had significantly affected both him and the team.

West Ham denied late winner

The controversy overshadowed Soucek’s first appearance of the season following his recovery from an ankle injury sustained at the World Cup.

Jarrod Bowen equalised in the 70th minute, but West Ham missed an opportunity to complete the comeback when Pierce Charles saved the captain’s stoppage-time penalty.

The QPR goalkeeper then denied Arne Engels’ follow-up, as covered in our West Ham 1–1 QPR match report.

Nuno Espirito Santo also criticised the first-half penalty decision, while acknowledging that West Ham’s passing and overall performance before the break had fallen below expectations.