Simple.
There's an aura about him—a commanding presence, as if one man can take charge while thousands stand in awe.
Although the score remained unchanged, this time Stoke City's attack was enough to pose a serious threat to Chelsea's goal.
This demonstrated one thing clearly:
Stoke City was not ready to surrender.
They were still eager to secure at least a draw tonight, if not an outright victory against Chelsea.
As a result, in the final few minutes of the first half, the intensity of play from both teams reached its peak.
Both Chelsea and Stoke City launched aggressive, straightforward attacks.
Each side was desperate to deliver a decisive blow before the halftime whistle.
However, both defenses held firm, showing excellent discipline and resolve.
Neither side allowed the other any significant chances, and the score remained 2–1.
In the blink of an eye, the game reached the final five minutes of the first half.
Undeniably, both teams were relentless during this period, fighting for dominance on the pitch.
Finally, in the last minute of stoppage time in the first half, Chelsea seized a golden opportunity.
Matic delivered a pinpoint long pass to Su Luo in the front third.
As expected, Su Luo was immediately surrounded by defensive players.
But at this critical moment, Su Luo once again showcased his exceptional offensive talent.
With his right foot, he received the ball and executed a move with precision.
First, he stepped on the ball to control it, then performed a stunning Marseille turn.
In an instant, with smooth and fluid movements, Su Luo danced past multiple defenders.
Although Stoke City's defenders had given their all, their efforts were in vain.
Despite their best attempts, stopping Su Luo's progress seemed almost impossible.
Su Luo had countless ways to apply pressure on his opponents, and this time was no different.
After successfully breaking through the defense, Su Luo made a decisive move.
He sent a brilliant long pass to Willian on the right flank.
Remarkably, there were no defenders nearby to challenge Willian.
It was an excellent opportunity.
Willian controlled the ball effortlessly and quickly drove forward.
With a burst of acceleration and a clever inside cut, he evaded Chelsea's linebacker with ease.
Positioned at the top of the penalty area, Willian didn't hesitate.
With lightning speed, he unleashed a powerful volley.
The ball flew perfectly, finding its way into the back of the net.
At the most critical moment, Su Luo stood tall once again.
His long pass to the weak side gave Willian a superb chance to score, and Willian capitalized on it beautifully.
The ball struck the dead center of the goal, leaving the goalkeeper helpless as it sailed in.
The scoreline shifted to 3–1.
Thus, the first half concluded with Chelsea firmly in control.
Through the 45 minutes of play, Chelsea's offense proved to be razor-sharp.
Once Chelsea took control of the game's rhythm, they delivered blow after blow to Stoke City's hopes.
On the sidelines, Coach Mark Hughes was visibly dejected.
Initially, he had believed Stoke City could compete toe-to-toe with Chelsea.
But as the first half came to an end, it became clear that this belief was nothing more than wishful thinking.
As the halftime whistle blew, the fans erupted into cheers.
The stands were alive with excitement and joy.
This was exactly the result every Chelsea fan had hoped for—a dominant display from their beloved team.
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