Marc Guiu, Chelsea’s teenage sensation, delivered a stunning hat-trick in a 5-1 demolition of Shamrock Rovers on Thursday, maintaining Chelsea’s perfect record in the Europa Conference League group stage. The Blues advanced to the last 16 with maximum points and cemented their status as title favourites.
The 18-year-old striker opened the scoring with a header after a defensive blunder by Shamrock Rovers. While Markus Poom, son of former Premier League goalkeeper Mart Poom, equalised for the Irish side with a deflected shot, Guiu quickly restored Chelsea’s lead, capitalising on another defensive error.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a third, and Guiu completed his hat-trick with another header in first-half stoppage time, becoming the competition’s top scorer with six goals. Marc Cucurella added a fifth just after the hour mark, sealing Chelsea’s emphatic win at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea ended the group stage with an impressive 26 goals, eight more than any other team. Reflecting on the team’s performance, Dewsbury-Hall praised the competition as a platform for younger players and a release from Premier League pressures.
Despite his success in Europe, Guiu has struggled for minutes in the Premier League, last featuring as a substitute in the season opener. Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca acknowledged the young striker’s frustration, crediting his work ethic and readiness.
Shamrock Rovers, one of three unbeaten teams heading into the final group-stage match, fell short but still secured a seeded spot in the knockout phase play-offs.
Elsewhere, Vitoria Guimaraes and Fiorentina also qualified directly for the last 16 after a 1-1 draw. Rapid Vienna, Djurgarden, Lugano, Legia Warsaw, and Cercle Brugge joined them, while Hearts narrowly missed out after a 2-2 draw with Petrocub. Northern Ireland’s Larne ended their campaign on a high with a 1-0 win over Gent, and The New Saints bowed out after a 3-2 loss to Slovenia’s Celje.
