Chelsea 2-2 Hull: Blues held by unbeaten Tigers after defensive errors

Chelsea drew 2-2 with Hull City at Stamford Bridge, with Mohamed Belloumi’s first-half brace cancelling out Morgan Rogers’ opener before Joao Pedro levelled after the hour. Defensive mistakes from Jorrel Hato and Levi Colwill allowed the visitors to twice lead and remain unbeaten.

  • Competition: Premier League
  • Venue: Stamford Bridge
  • Result: Chelsea 2-2 Hull City
  • Goals: Morgan Rogers 7′; Mohamed Belloumi 28′, 34′; Joao Pedro 66′
  • Key stat: Hull remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season
  • What’s at stake: Chelsea drop points at home; Hull leave west London with a hard-earned draw

Analysis: Sloppy Chelsea defending gifts Hull a point

Chelsea began brightly and took the lead on seven minutes through Morgan Rogers, who finished a rapid counter-attack from a Hull corner past Konstantinos Tzolakis at his near post. It was no more than the hosts deserved after a positive start, but the lead lasted just 21 minutes as Jorrel Hato allowed the ball to bounce over him inside his own penalty area, inviting Mohamed Belloumi to pounce and equalise. Six minutes later Belloumi struck again from the edge of the box, his effort deflecting off Levi Colwill and beating Emi Martinez to put Hull momentarily top of the league.

Hull should have had a third when a spilled effort fell to Oli McBurnie, but Martinez made amends with a remarkable close-range stop. That miss proved costly as Cole Palmer found Joao Pedro, who smashed an equaliser into the roof of the net just after the hour mark. Both sides had golden chances to win it, with Rogers and Mohamed-Ali Cho striking straight at the respective goalkeepers when goals seemed inevitable. Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic had joked pre-match that the only way to stop Xabi Alonso’s potent attack was to kick them; while they could not do that, they made the most of calamitous Chelsea defending to leave west London with a point.

What was said

"The only way to stop Xabi Alonso’s potent attack was to kick them."

— Sergej Jakirovic, Hull manager, pre-match

Jakirovic’s tongue-in-cheek remark underlined the respect Hull had for Chelsea’s attacking threat, yet it was the hosts’ defensive frailties that proved the story. The Hull boss will be delighted with his side’s resilience and the manner in which they exploited Chelsea’s errors.

The numbers: Key moments from Stamford Bridge

  • 7′: GOAL! Hull’s defence breached for the first time as Rogers gives Chelsea the lead.
  • 22′: SAVE! Tzolakis called into action to deny Neto.
  • 28′: GOAL! Awful Hato defending allows Belloumi to equalise.
  • 33′: CLOSE! Coyle squanders glorious chance thanks to Colwill block.
  • 34′: GOAL! From the resulting corner, Belloumi’s strike deflects off Colwill and beats Martinez.
  • 53′: POST! Tzolakis’ fingertips pushes stunning James free-kick onto the post.
  • 61′: SAVE! Martinez recovers after initial spill to make incredible stop to deny McBurnie.
  • 66′: GOAL! Joao Pedro finds the roof of the net from close range.
  • 84′: SAVE! Rogers squanders big chance to give hosts lead.
  • 87′: SAVE! Cho misses huge chance from six yards out as Martinez thwarts substitute.

Talking points

  • Chelsea’s defensive lapses – Hato’s misjudgement and Colwill’s deflection – cost them two points at home. Can Xabi Alonso afford such errors in the title race?
  • Hull remain unbeaten and briefly topped the league. Is this a sign they can sustain a challenge for European places?
  • Emi Martinez’s save from McBurnie at 61′ kept Chelsea in the game; without it, Hull would likely have won. Does this vindicate his big-money signing?
  • Morgan Rogers scored on his Chelsea debut and joined an elite group. Will he become a regular starter under Alonso?

What happens next

Chelsea must regroup quickly as they look to close the gap at the top, while Hull will aim to extend their unbeaten run in their next Premier League fixture. Both sides will check on the fitness of key players ahead of a busy schedule.

Frequently asked questions

What was the score between Chelsea and Hull?

Chelsea 2-2 Hull City at Stamford Bridge, with Mohamed Belloumi scoring twice for Hull and Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro netting for Chelsea.

Who scored for Chelsea against Hull?

Morgan Rogers opened the scoring in the 7th minute and Joao Pedro equalised in the 66th minute.

Did Hull remain unbeaten after the Chelsea draw?

Yes, Hull continued their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

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