Spitting allegation rocks West Ham after heated Millwall derby showdown

A heated London derby between Millwall and West Ham took another controversial turn after Millwall goalkeeper Filip Marschall alleged that West Ham striker Taty Castellanos spat at him during the match.

The incident occurred in the second half at The Den, with Millwall holding a 2-0 advantage and tensions running high between the two sides.

Castellanos moved towards Marschall as the goalkeeper prepared to collect the ball, with the pair becoming involved in a brief confrontation. Marschall then appeared to indicate that he had been spat on and used his shirt to wipe his head.

Referee Paul Tierney stopped the game after the goalkeeper raised the complaint and spoke to Marschall about what had allegedly happened. Millwall’s coaching staff also reported the incident to fourth official Lewis Smith.

Millwall manager Alex Neil was asked about the accusation after the final whistle but admitted he was too far away to have seen the incident clearly.

“I wouldn’t presume Fil would say that without cause,” Neil told Sky Sports, while adding that he expected the relevant officials and authorities to review the situation.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo also said he had not seen the incident himself.

The controversy came during a dramatic game that saw West Ham recover from two goals down to earn a point. Mohamadou Kante and Kostas Mavropanos found the net as the visitors fought back to level the score.

The drama continued late on when Kante was dismissed in the 89th minute after bringing down Kyrell Lisbie while attempting to stop a Millwall attack.

Millwall pushed for a winner after being handed a numerical advantage, but West Ham held on to secure a point in the clubs’ first meeting since 2012.

Mavropanos’ goal came from a cross by Manor Solomon, while the result leaves West Ham facing competition from several chasing sides at the top of the table. Millwall, meanwhile, head into the international break outside the play-off places.