Christopher Nkunku netted a hat-trick as Chelsea cruised to a dominant 4-0 victory over League Two side Barrow in the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge.
Nkunku opened the scoring just eight minutes into the match with a composed finish following a precise chip from Joao Felix. He followed up with his second goal shortly after, flicking Malo Gusto’s low cross into the net. The Blues extended their lead before halftime when a free-kick from Felix hit the post and ricocheted off Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman, giving Chelsea a comfortable 3-0 advantage at the break.
Just two minutes after the restart, Pedro Neto scored his first goal for Chelsea, tapping in from a pass across the goal by Mykhailo Mudryk. Nkunku completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute, dispossessing goalkeeper Farman and calmly slotting the ball into an empty net.
With this treble, the 26-year-old Frenchman boosted his tally to six goals in eight appearances this season. This match marked his first start for Chelsea since their opening-day defeat against Manchester City last month.
Dominant Performance from Chelsea
Playing against a team 64 places below them in the football league hierarchy, Chelsea dominated the match even as manager Enzo Maresca made 11 changes from the team that won against West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Barrow, who famously eliminated Championship side Derby in the previous round, achieved their best EFL Cup run since reaching the third round in 1967. Their traveling supporters, who made the 300-mile journey from Cumbria, showed unwavering support throughout.
Despite a few opportunities, including a volley by striker Emile Acquah that went over the bar and two free-kicks from Kian Spence that were comfortably saved by Chelsea keeper Filip Jorgensen, Barrow struggled to compete with the top-flight side.
This match marked Chelsea’s first appearance in the EFL Cup since their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the 2024 final.
Out-of-favor defender Ben Chilwell made his return as a halftime substitute and was immediately given the captain’s armband, despite previous concerns about his future at the club. Maresca stated that Chilwell has shown he’s ready to contribute, saying, “If we have a chance, we will give him some more minutes in games.”
Chelsea will next face Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, while Barrow will be traveling to Gillingham in League Two on the same day.
Credit: BBC Sport
