Chelsea's rollercoaster start to the Premier League campaign showed no signs of slowing down as they were pegged back to a draw by Hull City in a chaotic encounter at Stamford Bridge.
The hosts made the ideal start when Morgan Rogers latched onto a move involving Joao Pedro and rifled home a near-post finish inside seven minutes. However, Chelsea's early advantage proved short-lived, undone by a series of defensive lapses that allowed Hull to seize control of the contest before the break.
Mohamed Belloumi punished Chelsea twice in the opening half, capitalising first on a poorly read cross and then exploiting space left open in the home side's back line to complete his brace. Both goals stemmed from clear defensive errors, leaving Chelsea to regroup at half-time with the visitors ahead and threatening to climb to the top of the table.
Manager changes followed the interval, with a substitution at the back as Chelsea sought to shore things up defensively. The reshuffle did little to change the pattern of a match that continued to swing from end to end, though Chelsea gradually worked their way back into proceedings.
Joao Pedro, who had largely been a peripheral figure while operating as a lone striker against a physically imposing Hull central defence, finally got his moment in the second half. Given a single clear sight of goal, the forward made no mistake, calmly finishing to restore parity and ensure Chelsea would not suffer back-to-back defeats.
The result kept the contest finely balanced until the closing stages, with both sides pushing for a winner. Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a crucial late save to deny Hull victory, while at the other end Rogers was thwarted in a one-on-one opportunity that could have restored the visitors' lead. Levi Colwill's covering run deep into stoppage time proved pivotal in snuffing out another Hull chance, and Cole Palmer's injury-time free-kick sailed over the crossbar as the final action of the match.
Chelsea's defensive frailties were once again a talking point, with the back line collectively struggling to deal with the movement and physicality of Hull's forward players. Malo Gusto endured a difficult afternoon on the right, unable to contain the threat posed by his direct opponents, while a teenage full-back was withdrawn at the interval after being caught out for the opening goal. By contrast, Colwill stood out as a rare bright spot defensively, dealing comfortably with aerial duels and making the decisive intervention late on.
In midfield, Reece James offered composure and his set-piece delivery remained a threat throughout, while Romeo Lavia's early influence waned as the game became stretched. Palmer, so often Chelsea's spark, struggled for consistency but still played a role in the equaliser and contributed defensively in a match short on defensive solidity from his side.
With the point earned, Chelsea avoided defeat but were left to reflect on defensive issues that continue to undermine an otherwise entertaining attacking output. Hull, for their part, will have cause for satisfaction after twice coming from behind on the road, only to be denied at the death by a moment of quality from Joao Pedro.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (standard-football).