As an emotional Mykhailo Mudryk put his hands to his face in disbelief at what was happening at Craven Cottage, consolation flooded the bench, away stands and to those watching at home. Eight-and-a-half months after his impressive £89m ($107m) move from Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea, the winger finally scored in competitive play.

 

With skillful control of a pass from Levi Colwill, Mudryk rushed in and fired a shot past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The joyful scene that followed was testament to his dedication and popularity in the Chelsea squad.

This is not a missed appointment, like other expensive Chelsea attackers failing that fans have become accustomed to. This is the result of months of hard work and – hopefully – the beginning of a new chapter.

Mudryk has been described as a shy but polite guy off the field, and it has become increasingly clear that he is a confident player on the field.

The striker’s goal against Fulham seemed inevitable – he was gradually approaching a certain milestone; He worked hard, his performances clearly improved and he was given playing time and conditions to restore his confidence. Unfortunately, he had to leave the field at the beginning of the second half due to a minor injury.

 

But this new beginning must become a stepping stone. Although Mudryk has returned to some confident action, he can still look lost and his pass completion rate this season is worrying at just 59%. His style is high risk, but Chelsea will want to reap more rewards.

 

However, as Pochettino said, this is a process that requires “patience, trust and building confidence”. Mudryk is finally on fire, and this is just the beginning.