Chelsea have one foot in the Europa League knockout stages after Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s hat-trick sank BATE Borisov.
The midfielder gave Maurizio Sarri’s second string the lead just 96 seconds into the game against the 14-time Belarusian champions when he turned home Davide Zappacosta ’s cross.
And he effectively killed the fixture as a contest little more than six minutes later when he hooked Willian’s corner past BATE keeper Denis Scherbitski.
He then completed his treble with a well-placed finish less than nine minutes into the second half, with Aleksey Rios’s 79th-minute goal just a consolation for BATE.
The opener was Loftus-Cheek’s first goal since April, when he scored for loan side Crystal Palace against Leicester.
While his last goal for Chelsea came two years before that one, away at Aston Villa in the Premier League.
The Blues stayed top of Group L and a win against BATE in Belarusia in a fortnight will secure their safe passage into the next round.