By Chelsea demolished Armenian side Noah 8-0 at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, setting a UEFA Conference League record for largest margin of victory while securing their position atop the group standings.
The Blues struck six times before halftime in a ruthless display that featured goals from six different scorers, marking their most emphatic victory since an identical scoreline against Aston Villa in December 2012.
Centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo opened the scoring with his first Chelsea goal from a corner, before Marc Guiu capitalized on a Noah turnover directly from kickoff to double the lead. Axel Disasi made it three from another corner, converting Enzo Fernandez’s delivery, with the Argentine midfielder completing a first-half hat-trick of assists when he set up Joao Felix for the fourth.
Mykhailo Mudryk added the fifth before Felix notched his second via deflection to complete an extraordinary opening 45 minutes.
Manager Enzo Maresca, who handed 18-year-old academy graduate Tyrique George his first senior start, maintained most of his lineup into the second half despite the commanding lead. Christopher Nkunku, who entered the match with four goals in four Conference League appearances this season, added two more to complete the rout — first following up his own rebound and later converting from the penalty spot.
The decision to let Nkunku take the penalty rather than allow Felix to pursue his hat-trick drew some criticism from supporters on social media.
The historic victory, achieved with a heavily rotated squad showcasing Chelsea’s considerable depth, strengthens their grip on the group as they continue their European campaign.
