Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick as Chelsea thrashed Barrow in the third round of the League Cup on Tuesday evening. The 27-year-old scored twice in the first quarter of an hour and completed his hat-trick in the last quarter of an hour.
Barrow found themselves 3-0 down within half an hour, so the game was over very quickly. Chelsea slowed down after the break, as Enzo Maresca made numerous second half substitutions which caused them to be a little disjointed. Chelsea did still add to their tally, however.
Chelsea ran away with the win
Chelsea took the lead just seven minutes into the game through Nkunku. He beat the offside trap and was found with a chipped pass from Joao Felix. Nkunku side-footed past Paul Farman in goal with one touch.
Nkunku scored his second of the game in the 15th minute and Felix had a big part to play. He fed Malo Gusto down the right flank with a clever backheel, and Gusto found Nkunku in the area.
The 27-year-old flicked the ball through his legs and around the defender to make it 2-0.
It went from bad to worse for Barrow in the 28th minute as an own goal saw Chelsea make it 3-0. Felix whipped in a free-kick that hit the post and bounced off Farman into the goal.
Nkunku doubled season total in one game
Chelsea started the second half fast, scoring their fourth goal in the 48th minute through Pedro Neto. A mistake from Barrow at the back saw Mykhailo Mudryk bear down on goal, before squaring the ball to Neto who couldn’t miss.
Nkunku would claim his hattrick in the 75th minute after a bad error from Farman. The Barrow goalkeeper took a chance out of the back and was dispossessed by Nkunku who finished into an empty net. He had three goals before the Barrow game and now doubled his tally to six.
It was a comprehensive win for Chelsea, but Barrow will rue their many mistakes. They were overawed by the occasion.
