When a striker is low on confidence and their dry spell is prolonged to the extent that the scrutiny and criticism becomes unavoidable, it doesn't really matter how the next goal goes in.
For Romelu Lukaku a first in seven arrived via the most kind of favours from an opposition defender last night but, as Chelsea turn their attention to Saturday’s opportunity to be crowned world champions for the first time, there is fresh optimism that perhaps this can light the touch paper.
As Zsolt Low, the assistant coach who has stepped up for media duties in Thomas Tuchel’s absence, said: maybe Lukaku just needed a bit of luck. It was still possible to pick holes in his performance against Al Hilal, particularly before scoring. The chemistry with Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz remains imperfect, his movement out of kilter with what they often had in mind when supplying the ball.
That Chelsea’s attack remains nowhere as fluid as it should be considering the investment is not solely due to its focal point but the cold, hard fact is they are one step from becoming world champions courtesy of him.
More than 3,500 miles from Stamford Bridge, in a stadium less than half full and with only a few hundred of their own supporters present, the £97million signing’s tap in proved the difference on a night that very easily could have become embarrassing for the European champions against committed but limited opposition.
A far better collective performance will be required if they are to beat a revved-up, physical Palmeiras on Saturday evening. Especially when 15,000 members of a feverish Palmeiras fanbase has travelled to the Emirates for a trophy they consider to be of even greater importance.
Low felt the Chelsea players lacked freedom last night, perhaps pinned down by the pressure and expectation of winning the only major trophy to have evaded the club as much as acclimatising to unfamiliar surroundings.
Considering that the the goal, Lukaku’s ninth of the campaign, arrived just after the half hour mark courtesy of a shambolic piece of play from Al Hilal left back Yasir Al Shahran should not matter.
Havertz had sent in a cross from the left after displaying good strength under pressure. It was too deep for Lukaku to reach but Al Shahrani inexplicably headed it straight to him four yards from goal with the finish a simple one.
The risk of a shock had been growing at that point. Chelsea fashioned several opportunities, with a clear instruction to shoot on sight against an unconvincing goalkeeper, but the majority were speculative long-range attempts.
The exception was an Azpilicueta cross that Lukaku really should have converted from a similar position to his eventual goal. The captain was further exasperated when the Belgian was not in position to receive a cutback from the endline soon after and it was hard to escape the feeling there was a growing sense of frustration from and with the striker.
But there was no way he could pass up the gift delivered by Al Shahrani's comedy mishap.
To say Lukaku looked transformed would be quite an exaggeration but he produced a neat piece of hold up play nearing the break before laying the ball off to Ziyech with his back to goal. The winger's shot was blocked and Al Hilal eventually cleared. A minute after that he tried to find Ziyech again with a header from a deep Marcos Alonso cross, earning a corner, and Ziyech's gesture of encouragement was noticeable.
The pair linked up again nearing the hour mark as Lukaku cushioned a headed pass towards the wide man and his outswinging shout was kept out by an unconvincing Al Muaiouf save. But Al Hilal, who had been expected to tire considering head coach Leonardo Jardim had warned of "favouritism" being shown to Chelsea because they got a bye to this round, briefly found a second wind and Kepa Arrizabalaga did well to deny Moussa Marega.
The goalkeeper, retaining his place in goal despite Edouard Mendy linking up with the squad following his Africa Cup of Nations win, then produced a fantastic save, diving to his left, to deny a rasper from the right boot of Mohamed Kanno.
That was the closest Al Hilal came to levelling and their distraught reaction at full time suggested an immediate realisation that this was a scalp that got away. A number of Chelsea players, meanwhile, came to a man who is finding the weight on his broad shoulders a little too heavy.
Questions remain, not least around consistency and the ability to be decisive against top level opponents, but perhaps the spark has been ignited and Lukaku can begin to, as Ziyech said with some confidence before kick off, let his quality shine through.
They will need it if the one significant piece of silverware to have eluded them is to have a seat on Sunday morning’s plane back to London. “Hopefully he can continue in the final,” Low remarked. Then talk of lift off could properly commence.
