Mohamed Magdy  

15 i

Marc Guiu nets first half hat-trick

Chelsea signed off with a perfect record in the league phase of the Conference League as Marc Guiu scored a first-half hat-trick to seal a 5-1 demolition of League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers at Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old former Barcelona striker is yet to start for Enzo Maresca in the Premier League but, selected for the fourth time in Europe, he demonstrated a poacher’s instinct to bury the visiting side, twice intercepting passes back to the goalkeeper to score before glancing in a fine header for his third.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also scored, as did Marc Cucurella for the second time in as many matches, with Chelsea confirming what had long been apparent: they are far too strong for the teams they have faced in the first phase of Europe’s third competition.

The defeat was a first in Europe this season for Shamrock who left west London with the consolation of a place in February’s playoff round, as well as with the memory of Markus Poom’s goal that briefly levelled things at 1-1 in the first half and offered the glimpse of a major upset.

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