Chelsea cruise through in Europa League

Chelsea 3 Malmo 0 (Agg: 5-1)

Olivier Giroud scored his sixth Europa League goal of the season and Callum Hudson-Odoi also netted as Chelsea cruised into the last 16.

Giroud scored 10 minutes into the second half after great work by fellow Frenchman N’Golo Kante.

After Malmo’s Rasmus Bengtsson had been sent off, Ross Barkley’s brilliant free-kick made it 2-0 on the night.

And with six minutes remaining, Hudson-Odoi, finally given a starting place by under-pressure boss Maurizio Sarri, collected Willian’s diagonal pass and fired into the far corner.

After a dreary first half, Chelsea broke the deadlock at Stamford Bridge when Kante burst forward and played the ball left to Willian, whose first-time cross presented Giroud with a simple tap in.

That meant Chelsea were as good as through well before Bengtsson was dismissed for a second yellow card after fouling Emerson and Barkley stepped up to score superbly.

But the loudest cheer of the night came when the popular Hudson-Odoi sealed a resounding Blues win.