With a three-goal lead heading to Ukraine, Chelsea just needed to manage a strong, defensive result at the minimum to advance. The Blues did that and then some.
Olivier Giroud continued his incredible UEFA Europa League goalscoring exploits, scoring a hat trick as Chelsea routed Dynamo Kiev, 5-0 on Thursday afternoon. The hat trick takes Giroud to nine goals in as many games. Despite his success in Europe, he has just one Premier League goal this season, and has struggled to get starting minutes in league matches.
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Either way, it’s a convincing win for a Chelsea team that looked on the verge of being coachless just a few weeks ago, and is now into the Europa League quarterfinals.
Callum Hudson-Odoi bolstered his claims to start with a goal and an assist while Marcos Alonso scored Chelsea’s third of the day just before halftime.
Giroud needed just four and a half minutes to put Chelsea on top and the game out of reach, with a close-range finish off a corner kick. In the 33rd minute, Alonso’s terrific cross from the left was slotted home with a first-time strike in the box by Giroud.
He would get his third goal off a free kick from Willian, sending a glancing header towards the far post and in in the 59th minute.