A perfect arc sailed from the midfield into the opponent's attacking third.
To be more precise, it dropped right at Hazard's feet.
The player tasked with defending Hazard was Edimilson Fernandes.
In the earlier phase of the match,
It was Edimilson who had displayed his excellent technique, delivering a brilliant through ball to Arnautović, who then scored.
Edimilson Fernandes had been outstanding not only in attack but also in defense—
Always willing to track back and put in the work.
So when he saw Hazard receive the ball,
He didn't dare to take it lightly.
He rushed forward immediately, trying to stop Chelsea's "King of the Wing" from advancing.
But Edimilson wasn't a defensive specialist.
So Hazard didn't feel much pressure.
Relying on his rapid footwork and change of pace,
Hazard easily breezed past him.
In the very next moment,
Hazard had the option to pass the ball into the box to Lukaku.
But—he didn't.
After all,
Hazard wasn't too confident in Lukaku's individual ability at the moment.
Rather than risking a pass,
He decided to take matters into his own hands.
And just like that,
Hazard forcefully cut inside from the left wing.
At the same time,
Several West Ham defenders began closing in.
Among them were midfielders Zabaleta and Masuaku.
Especially Zabaleta—
Although often listed as a midfielder, he was primarily assigned to wing defense duties.
In fact,
The reason Coach Moyes deployed Zabaleta tonight was precisely to use his experience to limit Hazard's impact on the flank.
At this moment,
Zabaleta finally had a direct 1-on-1 faceoff with Hazard—
No, technically it was a 2-on-1, as Masuaku was also there to help.
Facing the double-team pressure,
Hazard wisely slowed down his dribble.
He knew full well just how tough those two were defensively.
After a brief pause and some quick thinking,
Hazard chose to pass the ball sideways into the center—
To Su Luo.
In critical moments, the ball has to go to the true star.
And without a doubt,
Su Luo was that star for Chelsea.
Whenever Chelsea's attack was stifled,
Su Luo was always the one to step up and deliver when it mattered most.
And tonight would be no different.
Positioned just outside the center of the box,
The only defender between Su Luo and the goal was Mark Noble.
Most of West Ham United's defenders were still focused on Hazard,
Who had just broken through from the left.
That gave Su Luo the perfect opportunity.
The moment he received the pass,
He immediately scanned the goal.
And without hesitation—
He launched a powerful volley!
The football shot forward like a cannonball, tearing through the air toward the goal!
Now it was time to test West Ham's goalkeeper, Joe Hart.
In the first half,
Su Luo had already stunned everyone with a brilliant long-range strike that found the net.
And now,
Joe Hart, having learned his lesson from the first half,
Showed his elite reflexes and readiness once again...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can visit my Patreon page:
Patreon.com/PhoeniXcel
There are 500+ advanced chapters available for you to read.
Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Check out my new Naruto fanfic!
[Naruto: I Don't Want Recognition]