At the top of the arc near the penalty area, Lukaku successfully received a pass from Kante, his back to the goal.
The defender tasked with marking Lukaku was Manchester United's Smalling, an experienced player who had been with the club for years. Despite his reputation, Smalling struggled against Lukaku, who gave him almost no chance to assert control.
As soon as the ball reached Lukaku's feet, he made his move without hesitation. His breakthrough was smooth and decisive, leaving no time for Smalling to react.
With a few quick steps and bursts of acceleration, Lukaku shrugged off the defender's interference with remarkable ease. Smalling tried his best to stay in the contest, but Lukaku's physicality and ball control were overwhelming.
Then came Lukaku's second acceleration—this time, directly into Manchester United's penalty area.
Now in a prime position, Lukaku spotted an opening. He glanced briefly at the defensive setup and decided to go for it—a powerful, no-nonsense volley.
The ball flew like a bullet, hurtling toward the goal at lightning speed.
But luck wasn't on Lukaku's side this time.
The shot narrowly missed the mark, skimming past the goalpost.
The score remained 2–2.
In the stands, Chelsea fans let out a collective groan of disappointment.
On Manchester United's bench, Mourinho's frustration was palpable. The head coach shook his head, clearly dissatisfied with his team's defensive performance.
"This is unacceptable," Mourinho muttered to his assistants. "Chelsea's attacks are too smooth—they're facing no real resistance. And Lukaku... he's receiving the ball far too easily. That's dangerous."
Mourinho had a point. Chelsea's dominance was clear, especially with Lukaku leading their attack. Ironically, United had been keen to sign him that summer, but the deal fell through when Lukaku chose to stay at Stamford Bridge.
"Smart move," Mourinho admitted begrudgingly. He knew why Lukaku had refused to transfer. At Chelsea, with Su Luo in the midfield, the striker was guaranteed a steady supply of scoring opportunities. At United, that certainty wasn't there.
As the match pressed on, the clock ticked toward the 40th minute. Only five minutes remained in the first half.
For Chelsea, playing at home, the mission was clear: they needed to gain the lead before halftime. This was Stamford Bridge, after all, and winning here wasn't just a goal—it was an expectation.
The fans roared louder, rallying their team.
In midfield, Su Luo intercepted a pass and quickly laid it off to Kante.
When Kante returned the ball to Su Luo, the stadium erupted in cheers.
"Come on, Su Luo!" a fan shouted, his voice rising above the noise.
Su Luo raised his head, scanning the field. With precision and confidence, he advanced, the crowd urging him forward.
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