Chelsea vs Shamrock Rovers Report

Scorers: Guiu 23’, 34’, 45+3’, Dewsbury-Hall 40’, Cucurella 58’; Poom 26’

Chelsea cruised to a dominant 5-1 victory over Shamrock Rovers at Stamford Bridge, completing the UEFA Conference League (UECL) league phase with a perfect six wins from six and cementing their position as group leaders.

First Half: Guiu’s Hat-Trick Shines

Chelsea, riding high in both domestic and European competitions, started the match cautiously, with Shamrock Rovers seizing the first clear opportunity. Johnny Kenny scuffed a golden chance eight yards from goal, a miss that would prove costly.

The breakthrough came midway through the half in unusual fashion. Shamrock’s Darragh Burns inadvertently nodded the ball towards his own goal, and Marc Guiu capitalised, heading into an empty net.

Shamrock showed resilience, equalising through Markus Poom, whose volley took a deflection off Cesare Casadei to beat Gabriel Slonina.

However, defensive errors haunted the visitors. Daniel Cleary’s weak back pass allowed Guiu to intercept, round Leon Pöhls, and score from a tight angle.

Chelsea’s third came soon after, as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall coolly slotted home following slick build-up play. Guiu completed his hat-trick on the stroke of HT, heading in Noni Madueke’s pinpoint cross to give Chelsea a commanding 4-1 lead.

Second Half: Cucurella Caps Off the Rout

With the result all but secured, Chelsea introduced Harvey Vale for Madueke at the break, but their attacking momentum remained unchecked.

The fifth goal arrived on the hour mark, courtesy of Marc Cucurella, who struck a stunning effort from the edge of the box, finding the bottom corner via the post.

Chelsea eased off in the final stages, giving opportunities to substitutes like João Félix, who missed a couple of chances to add to the tally. Despite the missed opportunities, the Blues controlled the tempo, allowing Shamrock little room for a comeback.

Key Performers

• Marc Guiu (Chelsea): The young Spaniard was the star of the show, netting a clinical first-half hat-trick and showcasing his sharp instincts in front of goal.
• Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Chelsea): Controlled the midfield and contributed a well-taken goal.
• Leon Pöhls (Shamrock Rovers): Despite conceding five, made several key saves to limit further damage.

What’s Next?

Chelsea have firmly established themselves as UECL favourites, with their eighth consecutive win across all competitions extending their unbeaten run to 11 games. They’ll now turn their attention to the Premier League, where a clash with Everton awaits.

Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, can take solace in their progression to the play-off round but will need to address their defensive frailties as they await their next opponent in Friday’s draw.

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Chelsea vs Shamrock Rovers | UEFA Conference League 2024/25