Chelsea's Fernando Torres, right, celebrates his first goal with Raul Meireles. Photo / AP
Fernando Torres scored twice in a sublime individual display as Chelsea produced a first-half masterclass to overwhelm Belgian struggler Genk 5-0 in the Champions League today, cementing its place at the top of Group E.
The Spain striker added to Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles' early strike with goals in the 11th and 27th minutes, helping the English team to its biggest ever home win in the competition.
Branislav Ivanovic's 42nd-minute header sent Chelsea into the break 4-0 up and substitute Salomon Kalou completed the rout 18 minutes from time, tapping in after Torres was denied his hat trick.
The convincing victory over the group's bottom team kept Andre Villas-Boas' unbeaten side a point clear of Bayer Leverkusen after three games. With a return match in Genk to come in two weeks' time, another win in Belgium could clinch Chelsea a top-two finish with a couple of matches remaining.
Torres, currently in the middle of a three-match domestic suspension, couldn't have wished for an easier return to the action against a beleaguered visiting side languishing in ninth place in the 16-team Belgian league.
Making a mockery of the adage that there are no easy games in Europe, the hosts cut through Genk at will in a first-half footballing clinic, giving their injury-hit defense a torrid time with quick passing and slick movement.
Meireles was at the heart of many of their best moves and it was the Portugal playmaker who opened the scoring in the eighth minute, taking advantage of the masses of space afforded to him by collecting the ball 35 yards out, advancing forward and lashing a low drive into the bottom corner.
His first goal for Chelsea since his transfer-deadline day move from Liverpool was followed three minutes later by Torres' maiden Champions League goal for the club, and his first in the competition for 2 years.
Oriol Romeu looking thoroughly accomplished in the holding-midfield role fed Frank Lampard, who in turn played in Torres. The Spaniard took one expert touch and curled his finish into the bottom corner from just inside the area.
It quickly became a matter of how many times Chelsea could score and Torres wasn't going to pass up a chance to boost his goals tally after his struggles in the early part of his spell at Stamford Bridge.
His second goal came when he got in front of his marker to glance a header into the corner from 12 yards following a cross from the busy Meireles.
The fourth goal couldn't have been more straightforward either, Florent Malouda floating a free kick into the box for Ivanovic to leap above opposite number Abel Masuero and plant home a header.
Genk, wearing a striking magenta strip, managed to stem the tide until the 72nd minute when Kalou, on as a substitute for Lampard, bundled in the fifth after Torres saw his close-range attempt saved by goalkeeper Laszlo Koteles.
Another goal would have clinched Chelsea's biggest victory in the Champions League, surpassing the 5-0 win in Galatasaray in 1999, but Genk held firm.
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