Costa
Diego Costa scored the second goal of the match against Hull City on Sunday, March 22. Reuters

With Eden Hazard and Diego Costa providing early sparks and Loïc Rémy scoring the winner, Chelsea won 3-2 over Hull City in a Premier League match Sunday at KC Stadium. After a wild start to the match, Rémy secured the victory late in the second half on a relatively weak shot that snuck into the Hull net.

Jose Mourinho’s side remain in first place over Manchester City on the Premier League with a six-point cushion and a game in hand. Steve Bruce’s side are in 15th after nearly pulling off a stunning comeback draw.

Rémy earned the win for the Blues when he one-timed a left-footed shot off a cross from Willian in the 77th minute to put Chelsea up 3-2. The shot was weakly hit but it snuck under Hull goalkeeper Allan MacGregor’s left arm and trickled into the goal, giving Rémy his 4th Premier League goal and the Blues a win. It was the only goal of the second half after a wild start to the match that featured both teams scoring in rapid bursts.

Winger Hazard stunned the Tigers by scoring just 90 seconds into the match. He hit a well struck left-footed shot from the top of the box that bent into the right corner of the goal, just past the outstretched hands of MacGregor. Hazard moved the score to 1-0 with his 11th league goal and shocked the Hull City crowd. The Belgian star has now scored in four out of his last five matches across all competitions.

Chelsea nearly gave the early lead away in the 5th minute when a ball over the top beat centerbacks John Terry and Gary Cahill. Forward Abel Hernández on the was set loose on a breakaway, but Thibaut Courtois made a phenomenal reaction save on an ensuing hard, left-footed shot by Hernández. Courtois safely parried away the shot to keep his clean sheet.

Striker Costa quickly reversed the tides back into Chelsea’s favor in the 9th minute with a stunning right-footed shot from outside the left edge of the box. It was a beautifully hit long shot that flew past MacGregor into the top corner to move the score to 2-0. Costa scored his 19th goal on the shot, tied for league-best with Tottenham’s Harry Kane. The lead would not last, however, as the Blues’ defense broke down under increased pressure.

Hull City would claw back into the match with a goal from Ahmed Elmohamady in the 26th minute that moved the score to 2-1. A weaving dribble from Hull midfielder Andrew Robertson set up space to for him to hit a low ball across the box to attacking midfielder Elmohamady who stretched out to knock it in.

Just 73 seconds later, Hull struck again to even the score at 2-2. Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic played a back pass to keeper Courtois, who dribbled past one Hull striker but in turn surrendered the ball to Hull striker Hernández on a touch that got away. Ivanovic had his back turned while Hernández slotted home a wide-open shot to draw even in the 28th minute.

The second half didn’t start with the same excitement of the first. The first fireworks came in the 64th minute when Hull nearly took their first lead of the day. Three different Hull players ripped hard shots from within 18 yards and three times Courtois knocked parried the ball away to keep the 2-2 score intact. Chelsea tightened on defense and earned the victory after Rémy’s goal.

Chelsea play next at Stamford Bridge on April 4 in a Premier League match against Stoke. Hull will travel to play a league match against Swansea on April 4 at Liberty Stadium.

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