71: Clash At Stamford Bridge

Under the London night sky,

Stamford Bridge erupted with a deafening roar!

During the pre-match ceremony,

Kai exchanged team pennants with John Terry.

Flames burned in both of their eyes!

In the stands, Chelsea fans burst into a frenzy!

After all, Chelsea was fielding their full-strength lineup tonight!

Though it was a surprise to many fans,

The moment the starting XI was revealed,

Chelsea supporters felt an overwhelming sense of security!

Chelsea's lineup was dazzling—truly star-studded.

Up front, a deadly striker duo: Torres and Drogba!

A forward pairing coveted by many elite clubs.

In midfield, club legend Lampard had Essien—the "Buffalo" enforcer—behind him!

In defense, Chelsea's iron-blooded captain Terry stood firm.

And between the posts, stood the goalkeeping wall: Petr Čech!

Once the lineup was announced,

Crystal Palace fans instantly fell into despair.

This lineup was too luxurious!

There were world-class stars on every single line.

Did Crystal Palace really stand a chance tonight?

The sea of Chelsea fans swept across the stadium in a wave of deep blue.

But soon, Crystal Palace supporters pushed aside those defeated thoughts.

They rushed to the front railings, shouting at the top of their lungs:

"So what if they're full of superstars? We have a superstar of our own!"

"Kai! Lead us to slay the almighty Blues!"

"Crystal Palace never backs down!"

A wave of fan fervor surged through the stadium!

Players from both sides lined up in their respective halves.

On the sidelines, Ancelotti chewed gum with a blank expression, eyes fixed on the field.

"Fweeeet!"

The referee blew the whistle—

The match had officially begun!

Stamford Bridge exploded like a tidal wave of noise!

Drogba kicked off.

Torres trapped the ball with his instep and laid it off.

Lampard picked it up and started the build-up.

Chelsea's formation quickly pushed past the halfway line!

Both teams started the match using a 4-4-2 formation.

But the details of each team's setup were different.

On Crystal Palace's side, they used two roaming forwards up front.

Chelsea, meanwhile, fielded a classic "tall and fast" combo—

Drogba acting as the pivot,

Torres playing the role of a slashing striker to stretch the defense!

In midfield, Chelsea's setup differed from Palace's flat four.

Ancelotti's Blues employed a diamond midfield—

Balanced in both offense and defense,

While also emphasizing width and flank penetration.

From the very start, Chelsea's attacks came in strong!

Their star-powered front and midfield posed a massive threat—

Quickly battering Palace's back line!

12th minute—

Chelsea executed a brilliant link-up play from midfield!

Ashley Cole surged forward from his fullback position.

He intercepted the ball cleanly from a Palace player.

Essien dropped back in support and swiftly laid it off to Lampard.

Chelsea's midfield general slightly slowed the tempo—

Then suddenly delivered a long lofted pass toward the center!

This was Chelsea's signature attacking pattern.

With Drogba up top,

Their offensive play was often simple, yet brutally efficient.

Lampard would launch a long ball toward the edge of the box—

Drogba, with his height and reach, would hold it up as the target man,

Serving as Chelsea's battering ram up front!

Chelsea fans leaned forward in excitement—

As Drogba muscled through two Palace defenders,

Shielding the ball with ease.

He laid it off with precision!

Lampard, already reading the play, surged forward!

Was he about to shoot?

The crowd held their breath—

But no!

It was a fake shot and a disguised pass—

A clever diagonal through-ball aimed at Torres, lurking on the edge of the box!

Instant chaos erupted in the Palace penalty area!

Torres—still living up to his "Golden Boy" reputation—

Exploded into action, drove into the box,

Sidestepped a defender,

And fired a powerful shot toward goal!

But just then—

"Fweeeet!"

The referee's whistle cut through the noise,

Pointing toward the penalty spot!

Stamford Bridge erupted with mixed reactions!

Torres lay on the ground clutching his leg, having gone down in the box.

Palace's center-back Knight raised both hands in protest, stunned:

"I didn't touch him!"

But the referee ignored the protests—

And pointed straight to the spot!

Penalty!

The crowd erupted in a frenzy again!

Chelsea fans cheered wildly!

Less than 20 minutes into the game,

Chelsea had won a penalty!

On the sidelines, Holloway's expression darkened.

He waved his hand in frustration, unsure what to say.

The combination of Drogba and Torres was proving to be too dangerous!

Chelsea had so many ways to create threats!

Coach Millen stood beside him, face serious.

The Palace coaching staff instantly realized—

This Chelsea side was on a completely different level compared to Man City or Spurs.

This season, Chelsea were just two points behind Manchester United in the Premier League.

They were firmly in the title race, and

undoubtedly a top-tier elite of English football.

With a tactical mastermind like Ancelotti at the helm,

Chelsea's power was immense—

Easily the strongest opponent Palace had faced all season!

Holloway and Millen both looked toward the pitch—

Their eyes landing on Kai.

Facing such a formidable opponent,

If Palace fell behind…

They truly didn't know how to pull it back.

All they could do was pin their hopes on their teenage superstar—

That somehow, he could bring them a miracle again!

"Torres's pressure is just too much for Palace's defense!"

"A penalty!"

"If this goes in, Chelsea takes the lead—and Palace's chances take a big hit!"

The commentators were filled with energy.

When a powerhouse team gains the lead, it's usually a huge advantage.

From twelve yards out,

Torres didn't disappoint.

Facing the Palace goalkeeper,

The Golden Boy calmly stepped up and slotted the ball into the net!

1–0!

Chelsea struck first in this FA Cup quarterfinal clash!

Stamford Bridge exploded in joy as Chelsea fans celebrated!

Their players swarmed Torres, reveling in the early lead.

"A full-strength squad makes all the difference! This lineup could win the Premier League. Crystal Palace is nothing compared to this!"

"Apart from Kai, does Palace have any other stars worth mentioning?"

The Chelsea fans were in full party mode!

After conceding the penalty,

Crystal Palace supporters felt a heavy blow to their morale…

But the onslaught wasn't over yet.

The game restarted at the center circle—

In the 27th minute—Chelsea scored again!

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