By OUR REPORTER at Stamford Bridge
THEY say the stars shine brightest under the lights, but at a stunned Stamford Bridge last night, Cole Palmer’s halo slipped in the most dramatic fashion.
Chelsea’s golden boy—the man who usually has ice in his veins—turned to slush in the 94th minute, spooning a sitter over an open goal from four yards out.
It was the final act of a chaotic 2-2 draw that saw Liam Rosenior’s high-flying Blues somehow toss away a two-goal cushion to a Leeds side that refused to roll over.
For an hour, it was the Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro Show. The pair looked like they were playing on a different planet to the Leeds backline.
Joao Pedro (The Magician): Opened the scoring with a sublime, ice-cool chip over Karl Darlow.
Cole Palmer (The Specialist): Doubled the lead from the penalty spot with his 18th successful conversion since joining the club.
But while the stars were shining at one end, a defensive “disasterclass” was brewing at the other. Moises Caicedo, Chelsea’s £115m anchor, had a night to forget, conceding the penalty that let Leeds back into the game and failing to track the runners for the equalizer.
The Great Leeds Escape
Daniel Farke’s men looked buried at 2-0. But when Jayden Bogle—a constant thorn in Chelsea’s side—was tripped by Caicedo, the momentum shifted.
Lukas Nmecha buried the penalty, and suddenly the “Peacocks” were flying.
Just six minutes later, the Bridge fell silent. A comedy of errors between Robert Sanchez and Josh Acheampong saw the ball fall to substitute Noah Okafor, who couldn’t believe his luck as he tapped into an empty net.
The stage was set for Palmer to win it at the death.
When Caicedo’s low cross found him unmarked at the back post, the home fans were already celebrating. But the man who “never misses” sent the ball into the clouds, leaving his manager holding his head in disbelief.
Chelsea remain in the hunt for the top four, but this was a night where their stars proved they are, after all, only human.
