Chelsea's stumble in the Premier League goes on. They settled for a thrilling 2-2 draw against Hull City on Saturday evening in the fourth round of the competition.
The hosts started exactly as they'd hoped. Morgan Rogers fired the London side ahead early, but the lead didn't last, and the match quickly turned into an awkward examination.
Read also.. Video: Mohamed Belloumi silences the crowd with a brace at Chelsea's home
Hull City needed little time to fight back. Algeria's Mohamed Belloumi pounced on Chelsea's defensive mistakes and turned the game on its head with two goals in the space of a few minutes, stunning the home crowd.
Belloumi struck in the 28th and 34th minutes, punishing a Chelsea backline that had lost its shape. The Algerian produced one of the standout moments of the match and handed Hull City a historic chance to leave with a result against opponents of Chelsea's calibre.
Chelsea threw everything at the second half, ramping up the pressure in search of all three points. It paid off in the 66th minute when João Pedro drew them level, finishing off a superb pass from Cole Palmer on the left flank.
You can discuss the topics and news in greater depth in the "Kooora" forums
For all their efforts in the remaining minutes, the hosts couldn't find a third. They had to make do with a single point in a result that laid bare their ongoing struggle to close out wins.
This is Chelsea's second consecutive slip in the Premier League, following a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the previous round. Four points dropped in their last two matches, then, after a start that had promised so much more.
Chelsea moved on to 7 points and up to fourth place temporarily, while Hull City climbed to 8 points in third, extending a remarkable start and leaving Chelsea's ground with a result that confirms they can go toe to toe with the big sides.
The surprises didn't end with the scoreline. Hull City ended a long wait against Chelsea, claiming a positive result against the London side in the Premier League for the first time since 2010.
Chelsea had hoped to get back to winning ways after the loss to Arsenal. Instead they walked straight into fresh trouble, squandering an early lead and inviting Hull City to punish their errors, as the dropped points keep piling up at the start of the season.