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Chapter 107: Chelsea Once More 2
🕑 Added 2025-01-19 16:00:10 +0000 UTCCourtois collected the ball calmly, his towering frame a reassuring presence for Chelsea's backline. Wasting no time, he scanned the field spotting Ivanović free on the right, he launched a precise throw, setting the Serb into motion.
Ivanović's first touch was solid, but Lingard was on him in a flash, pressing with relentless energy. The fullback, forced to act quickly, shielded the ball before releasing a short pass to Fabregas, who had dropped deeper to offer support and control the tempo.
"Good awareness from Ivanović," the first commentator remarked. "Lingard isn't giving him an inch, but Chelsea stay composed under pressure."
Fabregas exuded calmness in possession. A quick glance up the field was all he needed to spot Hazard peeling off towards the left, finding a pocket of space near the touchline. With a stroke of brilliance, Fabregas threaded a diagonal pass between Leicester's defensive lines, splitting them like a surgeon's scalpel.
"Fabregas! That vision is simply sublime!" the second commentator exclaimed. "What a ball—this is why he's world-class."
Hazard, stationed wide, welcomed the pass like an old friend. The Belgian maestro caressed the ball with the outside of his foot, bringing it under control without breaking stride.
De Laet was tasked with containing him. The Leicester defender kept a low stance, his eyes glued to the ball, determined not to fall victim to Hazard's wizardry.
Hazard slowed, baiting De Laet into committing. With a series of subtle feints, he teased the defender, shifting his weight left, then right. Suddenly, with an explosive burst, Hazard faked a dart down the touchline. De Laet reacted instinctively, stepping wide to cut him off. But Hazard had other plans. With a sharp cut inside onto his right foot, he left De Laet stumbling, trailing behind in his wake.
"Wow! Hazard sends De Laet the wrong way!" the second commentator shouted, his voice rising above the crowd's roar.
Now inside the penalty area, Hazard bore down on goal. Schmeichel advanced, narrowing the angle, while De Laet desperately slid across the turf to recover. But Hazard wasn't finished yet. Feinting a shot, he dragged the ball with his left foot, leaving both Schmeichel and De Laet lunging at thin air.
"Incredible! He's beaten them both! Hazard—what skill!" the first commentator bellowed.
Hazard steadied himself and aimed for the far corner, his left-footed strike low and precise. Time seemed to freeze as the ball zipped towards the net. But Schmeichel, displaying cat-like reflexes, got the faintest of touches, deflecting the shot onto the post with an audible clink.
"Off the post! Schmeichel saves Leicester again!"
The ball rebounded dangerously into the six-yard box, chaos erupting in an instant. Diego Costa, the predator that he was, pounced, grappling with Morgan for position. The two wrestled fiercely, neither willing to give an inch. But before Costa could strike, Schlupp reacted with lightning speed, hammering the ball out of danger and into the stands.
"Schlupp clears! Leicester survive by the skin of their teeth!" the second commentator exclaimed.
The Stamford Bridge crowd sighed collectively, a mix of disbelief and admiration for the sequence they had just witnessed. Hazard walked back, hands on hips, a slight smile betraying his frustration.
"That was pure artistry from Hazard and Fabregas," the second commentator said with admiration. "Even without a goal, you can see why they're such a lethal partnership for Chelsea."
Leicester exhaled collectively, but only just. Moments like these reminded everyone why Eden Hazard was among the most electrifying talents in the Premier League.
Oscar jogged over to take the resulting corner, whipping in a fierce cross to the heart of the penalty area. John Terry soared above the melee and connected with a thunderous header. The ball, however, sailed narrowly over the bar, prompting groans of disappointment from the home crowd.
"Terry gets his head to it, but it's just over the top! Chelsea piling on the pressure here," the first commentator exclaimed.
At the other end, Kasper Schmeichel carefully placed the ball on the edge of his six-yard box, taking a moment to survey his options. Meanwhile Pearson, perched in the stands, watched with a sharp gaze. His brow furrowed as he noticed Chelsea's aggressive positioning—Mourinho had pushed his entire team high up the pitch, matching Leicester's pressing intensity.
"Both sides are going all-out with high-pressure football!" the second commentator noted. "Mourinho's not sitting back—he's matching Leicester stride for stride!"
On the touchline, Mourinho prowled barking orders and gesturing animatedly. His tactical decision to press Leicester's back line was a bold move, forcing the Foxes to play under immense pressure. Pearson made mental notes of Chelsea's adjustments, his expression a mix of concern and resolve.
"Leicester might have scored three in their last outing," the first commentator added, "but their defensive frailties and struggles under pressure are still there. Mourinho knows it, and he's forcing them into mistakes."
Costa, Oscar, Hazard, and Schürrle led Chelsea's press with relentless energy, suffocating Leicester's attempts to build from the back. Under the heat of blue shirts, the defenders exchanged hurried passes before retreating the ball to Schmeichel, who found himself surrounded with few options.
Sensing the danger, Cambiasso dropped deep, offering a calm outlet where others faltered. His composure and experience were in stark contrast to Matty James, who had struggled under similar circumstances.
"That's why Cambiasso is invaluable to this Leicester side," the second commentator explained. "His experience and decision-making give them a lifeline in moments like these."
Cambiasso received the ball and, with a deft turn, created space to scan the field. Spotting Mahrez stationed wide on the right, he launched a diagonal pass.
Mahrez brought the ball under control with a sublime touch using the outside of his left foot, earning applause from the away supporters. Azpilicueta, on Chelsea's left flank, quickly closed in, his positioning textbook as he prepared to nullify the Algerian's threat.
Noticing Hazard racing back to double up on him, Mahrez shifted gears. With a sharp feint and a cut inside, he evaded Hazard's challenge. Azpilicueta, however, adjusted instantly, blocking the angle for a cross. Sensing the difficulty, Mahrez played a clever pass into Tristan, positioned centrally, sparking a slick one-two combination.
"Brilliant interplay between Mahrez and Tristan!" the second commentator exclaimed. "Leicester proving they're no pushovers in possession!"
Mahrez received the return ball just outside the penalty area, but before he could take another touch, Cahill stepped forward to close him down. Reading the situation, Mahrez nudged the ball past Cahill with a delicate toe-poke, finding Vardy, who had ghosted into space with perfect timing.
"Vardy's through! Leicester have a real chance here!" the first commentator shouted.
Without hesitation, Vardy struck the ball cleanly on the half-volley, but Terry anticipated the danger. With a perfectly-timed sliding block, he deflected the shot away, sending the ball spinning wide of the post.
Terry leapt to his feet, adrenaline coursing through him as he high-fived Cahill and clapped his hands, rallying his team.
As the Chelsea players regrouped, Matić jogged past and called out with a teasing grin, "Come on, John! You wouldn't need to block if I fouled him earlier!"
Nearby, Tristan smirked, glancing at Terry. "Hey! John, I'm still here, you know," he quipped, flashing a cheeky grin.
Terry laughed, waving him off. "You know it's nothing personal, mate!"
Rolling his eyes, Tristan jogged toward the corner flag, signaling to Mahrez for a short corner. The movement drew a wave of murmurs from the Stamford Bridge crowd, and Chelsea's defenders hesitated momentarily, their focus split between Mahrez's skill and Tristan's delivery. With a sharp flick of his heel, Mahrez feigned a cross and rolled the ball back to Tristan, who quickly adjusted his position.
Tristan took a breath and delivered a whipped cross that swerved wickedly toward Vardy at the near post. The bounce, unpredictable and awkward, forced Vardy into an improvised attempt. Lunging forward, he managed to redirect the ball goalward with his shin. But Courtois, ever was perfectly positioned. He reacted with cat-like reflexes, collecting the ball securely on the second attempt as Leicester's attackers circled for a rebound.
"Brilliant save by Courtois!" the second commentator exclaimed. "He's showing exactly why he's considered one of the best in the world!"
The first 25 minutes had unfolded as a gripping chess match of skill and strategy. Chelsea and Leicester exchanged blows, testing each other's mettle with fluid passing and relentless pressing.
The fans were enthralled, teetering between anticipation and frustration as both sides came agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock.
Diego Costa, embodying Chelsea's physicality, thrived in his duels with defenders, bullying his way through tight spaces. Meanwhile, Vardy faced a much sterner test. John Terry and Gary Cahill were a masterclass in defensive partnership—commanding the air, closing gaps, and intercepting danger before it fully materialized. Despite his best efforts—darting runs, sharp turns, and quick bursts of pace—Vardy was a man searching for a crack in an unyielding wall.
By the 30th minute, the stats painted a clear picture. Vardy had managed only seven touches, with two speculative attempts at goal to show for his tireless effort. But frustration was never part of his game. For Vardy, football was as much about perseverance as it was about precision. If his runs created space for others, he considered it a job well done.
As halftime loomed, the scoreboard still read 0-0. Stamford Bridge buzzed with restless energy. Both sets of fans knew this game was teetering on the edge of brilliance, and all it needed was a spark to ignite. Chelsea had racked up six shots compared to Leicester's four, but neither side had delivered the crucial blow. Who would rise to the occasion? The question hung heavy in the air.
For Leicester, the first half had been a statement. Against a team many considered title favorites, the newly promoted side wasn't just surviving—they were competing. Pundits had written them off, expecting a collapse akin to Burnley or QPR. But Leicester had other ideas. They were proving that they belonged, even in the lion's den of Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, however, were no strangers to such moments. Champions-elect, as many had already labeled them, carried weapons beyond their structured play: individual brilliance, long-range magic, and set-piece mastery. Mourinho prowled the touchline, barking instructions with the intensity of a man unwilling to settle for anything less than victory.
And it would be that individual brilliance, as so often in football, that would shift the balance.
As the clock edged toward the 40th minute, the game's balance tipped ever so slightly in Chelsea's favor.
Fàbregas with one fluid motion spun away from his marker and delivered a perfectly weighted pass out to the left flank, where Hazard waited.
This was Hazard's territory—a place where defenders became spectators, and football became poetry in motion.
Hazard controlled the ball effortlessly, his low center of gravity and sharp movements giving him an almost ethereal glide across the pitch. Sensing danger, Cambiasso, charged in alongside Ritchie De Laet, the quick and tenacious fullback.
Yet Hazard was three steps ahead.
A flick here, a burst of pace there—Cambiasso lunged but found only empty air. Hazard turned his attention to De Laet, who approached with caution. In a single fluid motion, Hazard performed a flawless roulette spin, leaving the defender stumbling in his wake.
Now, with the penalty area in sight and Stamford Bridge roaring its approval, the Belgian surged forward, electric and unstoppable.
"WORLD-CLASS FROM HAZARD!" the commentator exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. "This is why he's one of the best in the world—he's making it look so easy!"
Hazard now faced Wes Morgan, Leicester's towering defensive anchor. The duel was brief but decisive. Hazard slowed his stride, dropping his shoulder to feint left before darting right. Morgan, caught in the deception, hesitated for a fraction of a second. It was enough. Hazard slipped past with a feather-light touch, angling himself perfectly for the strike.
And strike he did. With the outside of his right boot, Hazard unleashed a venomous shot low and hard, the ball skimming across the slick surface. Kasper Schmeichel reacted instantly, diving low to his right, but even he couldn't reach it in time. The ball kissed the inside of the post before rippling the back of the net.
"GOOOOAAALLL!" The commentator's voice cracked with excitement. "EDEN HAZARD BREAKS THE DEADLOCK! WHAT A GOAL! THAT IS SIMPLY SENSATIONAL FROM THE BELGIAN MAGICIAN!"
Stamford Bridge erupted into pandemonium. Thousands of Chelsea fans leapt to their feet, their voices blending into a deafening roar that reverberated through the stadium. Hazard jogged toward the corner flag, arms outstretched, soaking in the adulation.
.......
End
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