OH NO: Heartbreaking incidence at Selhurst Park with ball boy left on a stretcher over LED screen accident.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek swiftly intervened to prevent a potentially serious injury to a Crystal Palace ball boy during their Premier League match at Selhurst Park.
After scoring Julen Lopetegui’s opening goal just past the hour mark, the Czech international sprinted toward the away section to celebrate with West Ham fans.
As fans surged forward to greet him, the LED advertising board collapsed, causing a group of people to fall onto the young ball boy who had been sitting in front of it.
Soucek and other concerned West Ham players immediately turned their attention to the boy, who was clearly shaken and distressed by the incident, and pulled him out of the pile.
Soucek, along with West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen, Emerson, and others, guided the boy to safety before handing him over to the stewards, as medical staff rushed onto the pitch to assist.
Television replays captured Soucek’s quick thinking as he rescued the ball boy from the potentially dangerous situation.
The ball boy, although visibly shaken, was able to walk away from the scene.
No fans appeared to be injured, and there was no indication that any inappropriate actions on their part had caused the collapse of the hoarding.
After losing their opening game at home to Aston Villa, West Ham secured their first win under their new manager with a second late goal from Bowen. The result leaves Crystal Palace winless in their first two matches, following a 2-1 defeat to London rivals Brentford.