Chelsea recorded the biggest Europa Conference League victory as they crushed Armenian side FC Noah.
The Blues, playing a completely different team to their last Premier League game, led 6-0 at the break – and added two more in the second half.
They took the lead when Tosin Adarabioyo headed in Enzo Fernandez’s corner.
Noah lost the ball almost immediately following their kick-off and Marc Guiu won the ball and scored.
Axel Disasi headed in another Fernandez corner, then Fernandez fed Joao Felix who ran through and clipped the ball over the goalkeeper.
Mykhailo Mudryk scored the goal of the game when he curled a fine shot into the top corner, before Felix netted his second via a deflection.
Christopher Nkunku, who also hit the bar, hooked in a seventh from an angle after his initial shot was saved.
And the Frenchman then scored a penalty which he slammed down the middle.
Chelsea’s B team impress again
Chelsea’s squad is so large and talented that they are fielding practically different teams in the league and cups.
Even their second-string team are far too good for the Conference League with 16 goals scored in their first three wins, twice as many as anyone else.
Chelsea were huge favourites to win this game, ranked eighth in Uefa’s European club rankings, compared with Noah at 311th.
And they recorded the joint-second biggest victory in their history, only behind a 13-0 Cup Winners’ Cup victory over Jeunesse Hautcharage in 1971.
FC Noah, who were only formed seven years ago, started well – and Goncalo Gregorio forced a save from Filip Jorgensen after just three minutes.
But after Chelsea opened the scoring they never looked back – and their goals came two by two against a side named after the biblical figure with the ark.
Summer signings Adarabioyo and Guiu got their first goals for the club in quick succession, with Disasi and Felix’s first goal coming close together.
Mudryk’s strike and Felix’s second were just two minutes apart – and then Nkunku netted twice after the break.
Nkunku is the club’s top scorer this season with 10 goals – despite only starting one league game – which shows how distinct their cup team is.
Several of their goals on Thursday were thanks to poor defending by Noah, who were playing their 11th Conference League game of the season, but were unlucky not to score at least once themselves.
The previous record score in a Conference League game was joint between Nordsjaelland’s 7-1 win over Ludogorets, Fiorentina beating Cukaricki 6-0 and Eintracht Frankfurt defeating HJK Helsinki by the same scoreline – with all three games in October 2023.
BBC
