Sports
TEENAGER Marc Guiu scored a first-half hat-trick as Chelsea cruised past Shamrock Rovers to finish top of the Conference League league phase and deny their visitors an automatic place in the knockout stage.
Already assured of a last-16 spot, Enzo Maresca’s youthful Blues made it six wins from six in the competition with another thumping victory.
They made early pressure count by taking a deserved lead when 18-year-old striker Guiu capitalised on a misunderstanding between Darragh Burns and goalkeeper Leon Pohls.
Rovers, who had gone close twice through Johnny Kenny either side of Guiu’s opener, got back on level terms when Markus Poom’s fierce shot deflected in off midfielder Cesare Casadei, delighting their 3,000 travelling supporters.
But those celebrations were short-lived as Guiu intercepted Daniel Cleary’s under-hit back pass and steered the ball into the back of the net from the tightest of angles.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall drilled home a loose ball inside the area to give the Blues breathing space, before Guiu completed his treble with a close-range header in first-half stoppage time.
Marc Cucurella completed the scoring in the second half, his low shot striking the inside of the post on its way past Pohls as Chelsea ended the league phase campaign in style.
Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, enter the knockout phase play-offs and await Friday’s draw.
Plain sailing for Blues after brief scare
Thursday’s contest followed a similar pattern to Chelsea’s previous Conference League games at Stamford Bridge this season, although the first half was not as straightforward as Maresca and his players might have anticipated. Not initially, at any rate.
Despite having the lion’s share of the ball, the home side were almost caught out on the counter-attack when Kenny twice went close to netting for a fifth consecutive Conference League match.
After failing to make contact with Burns’ low-delivery with the score still goalless, the Celtic loanee was denied by a flying Filip Jorgensen save not long after Guiu’s opener.
Poom’s equaliser was a jolt for the hosts, but there was no looking back once Spanish youngster Guiu capitalised on another error in the Rovers defence to restore Chelsea’s advantage.
Dewsbury-Hall all but ended the game as a contest, before Guiu – who struck twice in last week’s 3-1 victory at Astana – scored his sixth European goal of the campaign with a well-taken header.
Unsurprisingly perhaps, Maresca’s team eased off in the second half but still had chances to add to their lead after Cucurella’s effort, with Joao Felix flashing a shot wide moments after replacing Guiu on the hour mark.
The outstanding Tyrique George also had a shot blocked, before Jorgensen denied Graham Burke a late consolation with a smart stop.
Despite seeing their unbeaten Conference League run come to an end at Stamford Bridge, Rovers end their league phase campaign with their heads held high and can look forward to continuing their European journey in the new year. Bbcsport
A.I
Dec. 20, 2024
Tags: Marc Guiu Shamrock Rovers
