Guiu hat trick helps Chelsea rout Rovers 5-1 to extend Conference League dominance
Chelsea's Marc Guiu celebrates scoring his side's 4th goal during the Europa Conference League opening phase soccer match between Chelsea and Shamrock Rovers at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Ian Walton]
Marc Guiu’s first-half hat trick helped Chelsea ease past Shamrock Rovers 5-1 to complete the league phase of the UEFA Conference League with a 100% record. The 18-year-old forward had netted twice in a 3-1 win over Astana in the previous round. It’s now eight straight wins in all competitions for Enzo Maresca’s team, which equals the club’s record set in December 2016. Of the 36 clubs involved in the revamped competition, the top eight in the standings go directly to the round of 16 in March. Teams ranked ninth to 24th go into the knockout playoffs in February. The bottom 12 teams are eliminated.
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Chelsea's Marc Guiu celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the Europa Conference League opening phase soccer match between Chelsea and Shamrock Rovers at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Ian Walton