Chelsea extended their dominance in Europe with a stunning 7–1 demolition of Hapoel Be’er-Sheva at Drogba Arena, a result that sent them eight points clear at the top of the UEFA Champions League League Phase. With this emphatic win, the holders made it seven wins from eight matches and all but sealed top seeding for the Round of 16.
Rogério José Leads the Charge
Full-back Rogério José set the tone with an early strike after just two minutes, pouncing on a loose ball inside the six-yard box. Veteran playmaker Fernando González quickly made it two, finishing coolly from close range after neat link-up play through midfield. McKauley Civzelis extended the lead on 11 minutes with a thunderous volley, and Gerson added a fourth before the half-hour mark with a fierce low drive.
Hapoel briefly clawed one back through Nadav Navon, who converted from a defensive mistake, but the comeback never materialised. Instead, Chelsea continued to pour forward with relentless precision — Scott Franco’s towering header made it five, Navon scored an unfortunate own goal, and Joseph Haigh capped off the rout with a tidy close-range finish.
Sahar the Silent Architect
Despite not getting on the scoresheet, Netanel Sahar was the heartbeat of Chelsea’s attack. The Israeli forward registered two assists, seven key passes, and a match rating of 8.7, earning him the Player of the Match award. His intelligent movement and selfless creativity ensured his teammates thrived in front of goal.
Blue Brilliance in Numbers
With 34 shots to Hapoel’s 8, Chelsea dominated every metric — posting an expected goals tally of 4.6 to 1.3 and 69% possession. The result means Chelsea sit top of the table with 22 points and a goal difference of +36, ahead of Napoli and Manchester City.
Rogério José continues to shine statistically across Europe, leading the competition in assists (6), expected assists (4.09), and chances created (12). Meanwhile, Sahar and Valera rank among the most dangerous forwards in the tournament for shots on target and goals per 90 minutes.
Next Stop: The Knockouts
With qualification secured and form at an all-time high, Chelsea look like the team to beat once again. As manager Dimario put it post-match: “We’re playing with freedom and focus — the combination every great side dreams of.”
