Liam Rosenior Starts Chelsea Reign With 5-1 FA Cup Rout of Charlton as Blues Cruise Into 4th Round
- Chelsea thrashed Charlton 5-1 to give Liam Rosenior a winning start as Blues boss in the FA Cup
- 19-year-olds Jorrel Hato and Marc Guiu got on the scoresheet as Chelsea’s young stars led the charge
- Late goals from substitutes Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez underlined Chelsea’s depth and quality
Liam Rosenior enjoyed a dream beginning to life as Chelsea head coach after guiding the Blues to a convincing 5-1 victory over Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round at a packed Valley stadium on Saturday, January 10.
Chelsea struck twice through Jorrel Hato and Tosin Adarabioyo before Miles Leaburn briefly gave the hosts hope in an entertaining second half.
Source: Getty Images
However, Marc Guiu quickly restored Chelsea’s two-goal cushion, while late strikes from substitutes Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez sealed an emphatic scoreline.
According to a BBC match report, Charlton showed early intent, testing Chelsea with speculative efforts from Lloyd Jones and Tyreece Campbell, but the visitors soon asserted control.
Aside from a blocked attempt by Greg Docherty, Chelsea dominated possession and forced several saves before finally breaking through just before the break.
Teenage defender Hato opened the scoring in stoppage time, hammering a half-volley into the top corner after Charlton failed to clear their lines. The 19-year-old had earlier missed a close-range header but made amends with his first goal for the club.
Five minutes after the restart, Adarabioyo doubled Chelsea’s lead, meeting Facundo Buonanotte’s floated free-kick with a well-placed header.
Charlton responded bravely, with Jones and Charlie Kelman going close before Leaburn bundled home from a corner following an outstanding save by goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
Any hopes of a comeback were short-lived. Guiu, also 19, reacted quickest to finish from close range and re-establish Chelsea’s two-goal advantage. Rosenior then turned to his bench, and the depth of Chelsea’s squad proved decisive.
Pedro Neto fired in a powerful strike in added time to make it 4-1, before Fernandez calmly converted a late penalty after Estevao Willian was fouled in the box, rounding off a dominant win.
Meanwhile, Cole Palmer was rested ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, while Rosenior remained composed on the touchline despite protests directed at the club’s ownership. His team, however, responded positively, booking their place in the fourth-round draw.
Source: Getty Images
Speaking after the match, as Sky Sports covered, Rosenior praised his players’ professionalism and quality, highlighting the importance of the opening goal and singling out Hato for an outstanding display.
He also expressed satisfaction with the impact of his substitutes and the overall control Chelsea showed, while stressing there is still plenty of work ahead.
With a confident victory now secured, Rosenior and Chelsea will turn their attention to Wednesday’s crucial cup clash, encouraged by a strong first step under new leadership.
Liam Rosenior's London arrival
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Liam Rosenior arrived in London to finalise his appointment as Chelsea head coach following the sacking of Enzo Maresca.
The former Strasbourg manager had emerged as the clear frontrunner for the role and ultimately secured the job after advanced talks with the club.
Source: YEN.com.gh
