Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte noticed that the opposition had failed to pose any real threat to Chelsea's goal.
With that in mind, he decided to make a substitution.
Su Luo was replaced by a young forward.
After all, Chelsea had a demanding schedule ahead.
And as the absolute core of the team, Su Luo needed to rest.
If he were to get injured, it could be a devastating blow to Chelsea's campaign.
As Su Luo returned to the bench, the game resumed.
At that moment, Stoke City's players, seeing Su Luo subbed off, suddenly felt a glimmer of hope.
Encouraged by their head coach Mark Hughes, Stoke City—despite playing away from home—launched an aggressive offensive against Chelsea's goal.
One thing was certain:
Stoke City was a resilient team.
Even when trailing by two goals, they refused to give up.
As the match progressed, it was as if the two teams had swapped roles.
Stoke City relentlessly pressed forward, attacking Chelsea's defense.
And they had the ability to do so.
Then, in the 78th minute, Stoke City's persistence paid off.
They created a golden opportunity through their tireless attacks.
In midfield, Darren Fletcher received the ball.
With a quick shift in pace, he easily evaded challenges from Victor Moses and Danny Drinkwater.
The next moment, Fletcher sent a rapid pass to Tom Edwards on the right wing.
Upon receiving the ball, Tom Edwards sprinted down the flank, looking to create an attacking chance.
Also positioned on the wing was Mame Diouf.
Both Edwards and Diouf were quick players.
Their speed put immense pressure on Chelsea's defense.
Azpilicueta and Rüdiger immediately moved in to defend.
However, to be honest, Rüdiger's pace wasn't quick enough.
Mame Diouf took full advantage of this, using his speed to break past Rüdiger with ease.
As Diouf prepared to deliver a cross, Azpilicueta stepped up at the crucial moment.
As Chelsea's defensive anchor, Azpilicueta's reaction speed was exceptional.
Positioning himself perfectly, he used his body to block the pass.
The ball deflected out for a corner kick.
Still, it was an acceptable outcome for Chelsea.
Fletcher stepped up to take the corner.
As a midfielder, his passing ability was top-tier.
Before taking the kick, he raised his right hand—clearly signaling a planned tactic.
One second later, Fletcher delivered a precise cross with his right foot.
The ball curled toward the far post—exactly where Charlie Adam was waiting.
Gary Cahill attempted to contest the header.
But there was a key difference:
Cahill had to jump from a stationary position, while Charlie Adam had a running start.
In both height and momentum, Adam had the advantage.
And just like that, despite Cahill's interference, Charlie Adam powered his header toward goal.
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