Chelsea ran rampant against FC Noah in the Conference League on Thursday night, triumphing 8-0 to maintain their flawless start to the league phase, a result that will undoubtedly please Enzo Maresca.
Noah were the better of the two sides straight out of the blocks, with the Armenian side threatening to open the scoring in the opening five minutes, but Chelsea soon settled and gained complete control.
The Blues were soon ahead when Tosin Adarabioyo scored his first goal for the club with a beautiful header into the far post from a corner after 12 minutes, and less than a minute later, Marc Guiu made it two by intercepting a poor back pass and slotting calmly into the near corner for his first Chelsea goal.
Chelsea added their third in the 18th minute as they replicated the opening goal of the game, this time with Axel Disasi meeting Enzo Fernandez's corner and powering his header past Ognjen Cancarevic.
Goncalo Silva, at fault for Guiu's second goal due to his underpowered pass, saw his misery continue when he was tackled by the Spaniard while attempting to drive into midfield, with Fernandez securing his third assist as he set up Joao Felix, who chipped the keeper for Chelsea's fourth.
A rare lull in action followed, going 18 minutes without a goal, but the Blues soon found their scoring rhythm again just before the break, adding a fifth through a stunning Mykhaylo Mudryk strike into the top right corner and a sixth from a swift counterattack, finished off by Felix for his second of the night.
Chelsea had an unusually slow start to the second half, given their huge goal haul in the first 45 minutes, but Christopher Nkunku finally got the goals flowing heading into the final 20 minutes when he volleyed home a rebound after failing to convert with a chip from a one-on-one.
Nkunku added his second of the evening and sixth goal in Europe this campaign as he blasted his penalty down the middle of the Noah goal after Chelsea were awarded a controversial spotkick for a supposed foul on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall by Yan Eteki.
The phenomenal victory leaves Chelsea top of the Conference League table with nine points from three wins, sitting atop the pack thanks to their 13-goal difference, while Noah drop out of the qualification places and into 28th.
CHELSEA VS. FC NOAH HIGHLIGHTS
Tosin Adarabioyo goal vs. FC Noah (12th min, Chelsea 1-0 FC Noah)
A debut Chelsea goal for Tosin 🤩
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2024
Tosin Adarabioyo heads the home side into an early lead against Noah 🔵
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Chelsea have their lead, superb header from Abarabioyo!
Enzo Fernandez swings in a corner toward the penalty spot, where Adarabioyo outmuscles his marker and meets the ball with a powerful header, directing it across goal and beyond the goalkeeper's reach to net his first goal for Chelsea.
Marc Guiu goal vs. FC Noah (13th min, Chelsea 2-0 FC Noah)
It's another debut Chelsea goal... this time for Marc Guiu! 🔵
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2024
Noah defender Goncalo Silva won't want to watch that back 😳
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/rx1O7foGsk
And just like that, it is two!
From the kickoff, FC Noah plays the ball back to the defence, where Goncalo Silva attempts to play a pass across the goal to his central defensive partner, but the pass is underhit.
Guiu senses his opportunity and intercepts the ball, leaving him one-on-one with the keeper, and the striker makes no mistake as he slides his effort into the near corner, scoring his first goal for Chelsea.
Axel Disasi goal vs. FC Noah (18th min, Chelsea 3-0 FC Noah)
© Imago
Three for Chelsea already and it is almost a spitting image of the first goal!
Fernandez once again delivers towards the penalty area, and this time it is Disasi who beats his marker to meet the ball, planting his header past Cancarevic to make it three within 20 minutes.
Joao Felix goal vs. FC Noah (21st min, Chelsea 4-0 FC Noah)
Chelsea are running riot! 💥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2024
It's raining goals at Stamford Bridge as the home side lead 4-0 after just 21 minutes 🤯
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Chelsea are blowing Noah away here, four already!
Noah once again look to play from the back, with Silva receiving the ball and attempting to drive into midfield, but Guiu puts on the pressure and makes an excellent tackle on the central defender.
The ball falls at the feet of Fernandez, with the midfielder playing a first-time pass into the path of Felix, who races forward and chips the onrushing keeper to net Chelsea's fourth of the evening.
Mykhaylo Mudryk goal vs. FC Noah (39th min, Chelsea 5-0 FC Noah)
What a finish from Mykhailo Mudryk to make it 5-0 to Chelsea 💫
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2024
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Five for Chelsea and that is a stunner from Mudryk!
Christopher Nkunku drives down the right side of the pitch and plays a pass into the area just outside the box, with the Ukrainian picking up the ball, cutting onto his right foot and firing a curling effort into the top right corner.
Unstoppable from the winger.
Joao Felix goal vs. FC Noah (42nd min, Chelsea 6-0 FC Noah)
© Imago
Chelsea hit six before halftime, Felix adds his second!
Disasi does well to win the ball from a Noah attacker during a rare offensive move from the Armenian side, then carries it up the centre of the pitch before playing an incisive pass into the path of Felix.
The attacker takes a touch to bring the ball into his stride, then quickly cuts onto his right foot inside the box and smashes his shot into the back of the net.
Christopher Nkunku goal vs. FC Noah (69th min, Chelsea 7-0 FC Noah)
7-0 to Chelsea! 🤯🔵
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2024
Christopher Nkunku makes it 5️⃣ goals in 5️⃣ European matches this season 🌟
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They took their time but Chelsea have found a seventh, Nkunku getting his routine goal in Europe.
Dewsbury-Hall expertly holds the ball up before laying it into the feet of Felix, who skilfully flicks it through the Noah defender's legs and plays it into the path of Nkunku, sending him through on goal.
The forward attempts to chip the onrushing keeper and Cancarevic makes a superb initial save, but Nkunku makes no mistake on the second attempt, volleying in the rebound to get the goals flowing in the second half.
Christopher Nkunku goal vs. FC Noah (76th min, Chelsea 8-0 FC Noah)
A rather controversial penalty, but Nkunku will not care as he scores his second.
Chelsea are awarded a penalty after a brief review by the referee at the board, with Dewsbury-Hall controversially deemed to have been brought down by Eteki.
Nkunku steps up to take the spotkick, and the Frenchman nets his second in seven minutes as he blasts his effort right down the middle.
MAN OF THE MATCH - JOAO FELIX
© Imago
Felix is one of many candidates who could have taken the man of the match award for tonight, but Felix scored twice and set up Nkunku's opening goal, leaving him as the standout option.
The Portuguese forward was a constant thorn in Noah's side, making two key passes and creating one big chance, while also making a massive five successful dribbles.
Fernandez, who assisted three goals before coming off at halftime, and Nkunku, who scored twice and assisted once, are unlucky to miss out, but there were simply too many options after such a dominant display.
CHELSEA VS. FC NOAH MATCH STATS
Possession: Chelsea 58%-42% FC Noah
Shots: Chelsea 31-15 FC Noah
Shots on target: Chelsea 18-7 FC Noah
Corners: Chelsea 4-3 FC Noah
Fouls: Chelsea 9-5 FC Noah
BEST STATS
A hat-trick of assists for Enzo Fernández.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2024
It's only taken him 20 minutes 😳 pic.twitter.com/XAIV4virhg
6 - Chelsea's 6-0 half-time lead over Noah is the biggest by an English side at the break of a major European game since Derby County were winning 9-0 against Finn Harps in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup. Raining. pic.twitter.com/H2uRxSRyUv
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 7, 2024
13 starts for Chelsea. 10 goals.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2024
When Christopher Nkunku starts, he scores 🎈 pic.twitter.com/YGvT2mliFy
WHAT NEXT?
Following Chelsea's significant victory, maintaining their flawless start in the league phase of the Conference League, their attention will now focus on a difficult matchup with Arsenal in the final outing before the November international break takes place.
Despite the defeat, FC Noah can take great encouragement from a performance that put pressure on the two-time Champions League winners, and they now shift their attention back to the Armenian Premier League, where they will face FC Alashkert in one of several games in hand over the rest of the division.
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