Marc Guiu put on a dazzling show with a first-half hat-trick against Shamrock Rovers as Kieran Dewsbury-Hall and Marc Cucurella joined the scoring fest.
Guiu, scooped up by Chelsea for £5million during the summer from Barcelona, now boasts a remarkable tally of six goals in six Europa Conference League outings. Chelsea icon Joe Cole, while analysing the match for TNT Sport, couldn't hold back his praise for the 18-year-old prodigy.
He said: "This kid can score goals. He can be a big star for this club. How have Barcelona let him go? I liken Marc Guiu to Luis Suarez. I'm not saying he is Suarez now. But he has that instinct and bravery. I think he can go all the way. I think Barcelona have made a mistake!"
Before reaching 18, Guiu had already made history by becoming Barcelona's youngest goalscorer on debut. His ambitions are now set on making an impact in the Premier League. Enzo Maresca noted Guiu's frustration at being overshadowed by teammates Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku's success. "Marc is a bit unhappy as Nicolas (Jackson) and Christopher (Nkunku) are doing well," Maresca said.
"With Marc the problem is we forget the age. He knows it is not easy for him with Nicolas and Christopher there. But he is taking his chances. I'm very excited for the future. It was a good chance for the young players."
Up next is a challenging fixture at Goodison Park this Sunday against an invigorated Everton following the Friedkin Group's acquisition. Chelsea's youthful squad faced a formidable challenge against Ireland's top club, yet Mykhailo Mudryk was notably absent from the lineup due to a provisional suspension following a failed drug test. Despite this setback, the Blues witnessed an opportunity squandered by Rovers' Johnny Kenny who missed a clear chance.
The match saw its first goal when Darragh Burns' mistake was seized upon by Guiu, who capitalised on Shamrock keeper Leon Pohls' scramble to net an easy goal. Shamrock responded with an equaliser as Markus Poom's corner deflected off Cesare Casadei and into the net, sparking wild celebrations among the visiting fans.
However, Chelsea regained the lead after Daniel Cleary's poor backpass allowed Guiu to score his second. Before the break, Dewsbury-Hall extended the lead, benefiting from a tackle on Nkunku by Pico Lopes. Guiu then notched a hat-trick with a deft header, and Cucurella rounded off the scoring with a strike from just outside the box.
Post-match, Dewsbury-Hall commented: "People will say we are big favourites to win it and we probably are. It is a good vibe at the moment."
Meanwhile, Rovers manager Stephen Bradley reflected on the defeat, saying: "At this level mistakes get punished. If they want to, Chelsea can win this competition."