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Chelsea booked their spot in the FA Cup fourth round with a resounding 5-0 victory over League Two side Morecambe at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening. Tosin Adarabioyo and João Félix both scored braces, while Christopher Nkunku added a single strike to complete the rout.
The breakthrough came late in the first half, with Adarabioyo’s deflected strike from distance giving Chelsea the lead. The goal – a result of Chelsea’s relentless pressure, which had seen them come close to scoring on several occasions earlier in the half. Nkunku had earlier seen his penalty saved by Morecambe goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne in the 17th minute, after Yann Songo’o had handled the ball in the area.
Despite the missed penalty, Chelsea continued to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities. Adarabioyo came close to scoring again in the 26th minute, but his header from Pedro Neto’s cross struck the bar.
The second half saw Chelsea continue to assert their dominance, with Nkunku making amends for his earlier penalty miss with a clinical finish in the 50th minute. The French striker fired a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner of Burgoyne’s goal, giving Chelsea a 2-0 lead.
Adarabioyo’s second goal was a stunning strike from outside the box, which gave Burgoyne no chance. The Chelsea defender was found in space by 18-year-old attacker Tyrique George, who made his first start for the club, and he unleashed a powerful shot that flew into the top right corner.
Félix added two more goals in the latter stages to complete the scoring. The Portuguese international rounded off a swift counter-attack with a smart finish into the bottom corner, before curling a shot beyond the desperate reach of Burgoyne to make it 5-0.
Chelsea’s victory was never in doubt, and they will now await their fourth-round opponents in Sunday’s draw. Head coach Enzo Maresca was pleased with the performance of his team, which included several fringe players. The win marked a comfortable afternoon for the Blues, who are now one step closer to adding to their eight FA Cup titles.
Morecambe, meanwhile, will turn their attention back to their League Two campaign, where they are embroiled in a relegation battle. Despite a valiant effort, they were ultimately outclassed by their Premier League opponent.
