Mas Hermansen said the team played a good game, but unfortunately failed to achieve the results they deserved.

After West Ham United's 0-1 home defeat to Arsenal, Mas Hermanson, when processing his post-match emotions, repeatedly mentioned only two feelings: frustration and anger. West Ham United had initially thought they had managed to snatch a point in the final stages of the game when Callum Wilson scored from a corner kick by Jarrod Bowen in stoppage time, at which point Mas Hermanson had also rushed into the penalty area to join the attack.  

However, the celebrations at the London Stadium were quickly interrupted. VAR referee Darren England, after requesting referee Chris Kavanagh to review the video, ultimately ruled the goal invalid because Pablo had fouled Arsenal goalkeeper Raya. From the perspective of fellow goalkeeper Mas Hermansen, the decision was incomprehensible, as there were multiple physical challenges and pulling actions in the penalty area, but only one was penalized.  

After the match, Mas Hermansen said: "I am really, really angry. From a goalkeeper's point of view, I can't understand this decision. After a whole season of illegal obstruction, pulling and physical contact from corner kicks, I don't understand why such a decision would be made in a game like this."  

"I don't understand. I agree that you can see pulling and call a foul based on that, but the standard of calling must be consistent throughout the season. We just reviewed the replay and we can see that Dinos was substituted, Tomas was substituted, and even Pablo had been substituted before that foul occurred."  

“I think you can call a foul, but you have to do it every time and be consistent throughout the season. You can ask every goalkeeper in the league; they’ve all been pulled or illegally blocked. This is beyond my comprehension. I really don’t understand why such a decision was made at this moment, and why it took four or five minutes to repeatedly watch the video and try to find a reason to disallow the goal.”  

Chris Kavanagh's decision ultimately influenced the course of the game, with West Ham United narrowly losing to title contenders Arsenal. Arsenal, meanwhile, secured three points thanks to a goal from Leandro Trossard in the 83rd minute.  

However, Mas Hermansen's team did not perform poorly overall in East London. They started slowly but gradually stabilized, effectively limiting Arsenal's attacking threat and creating a very dangerous lead-taking opportunity through Matthäus Fernandes.  

Mas Hermannson emphasized that the team must maintain their current fighting spirit in the final two games of the season. He said, "This is our profession, this is our life. We work hard to support our families and to reach this level. Many people in the club have sacrificed for this, as have the fans; it all means a lot."  

"Today's game reflected our true level as a team. We don't always perform like this throughout the season, but we know we have the ability. So yes, we played a good game and caused problems for our opponents, but I think we deserved more."  

"Our only goal now is to win, and that's what we have to do. We have two games left, and as I just said, there's no reason to give up because we still have a chance."  

The Danish goalkeeper also spoke about the West Ham United fans in the stands, who created a very intense home atmosphere throughout the match. He added, "Yes, the fans were fantastic. They kept pushing us forward, giving us confidence and motivation. It was really great to play in that atmosphere today."  

Image source: Internet/West Ham United official website