Chelsea secured a comfortable 5-1 victory over Shamrock Rovers in their final UEFA Conference League group stage match, finishing at the top of the table with a perfect record. Marc Guiu starred for the Blues, scoring a first-half hat-trick, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Marc Cucurella also found the back of the net to complete the rout. The early stages of the match saw Chelsea take control, exploiting a defensive lapse in communication within Shamrock Rovers' backline. Darragh Burns’ unfortunate own goal set the tone, allowing Guiu an easy tap-in. Shortly after, Rovers managed to pull one back with a stunning volley from Markus Poom, giving their fans a brief moment of hope. However, Chelsea responded quickly, restoring their lead thanks to another defensive error, this time with Daniel Cleary under-hitting a back pass that Guiu pounced on to score his second goal of the night.

The hosts then increased their intensity, capitalizing on the visitors’ mistakes to extend their lead further. Dewsbury-Hall showcased his finishing prowess with a calm finish before Guiu completed his hat-trick with a well-placed header from a Noni Madueke cross just before the halftime whistle. Chelsea’s second-half performance allowed manager Graham Potter to give some first-team minutes to his younger players. While the rotation provided valuable experience, the final goal of the match came from Cucurella, who struck a right-footed shot into the bottom corner to complete the 5-1 scoreline. Chelsea’s dominance throughout the match highlighted their quality in both defense and attack, making it clear why they finished top of their group with a perfect record of six wins from six matches.

For Shamrock Rovers, the defeat marks the end of their group stage campaign, finishing in 10th place. Despite the loss, it was a learning experience for the Irish club, who now face the challenge of a playoff in February. The encounter with Chelsea provided them with exposure to a higher level of competition and the opportunity to gauge their progress on the continental stage. Although disappointed with the result, Shamrock Rovers will take positives from their participation in the group stage and aim to use the experience to improve in the upcoming playoff. As for Chelsea, their performance showcased the depth and talent within the squad, setting them up well for the knockout rounds as they aim to go further in the competition.