The stage was set in Wolverhampton, as London rivals travelled to the midlands to battle it out on the green of Molineux Stadium for the title of the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup.

Still on course to lift a victorious quadruple upon the departure of Emma Hayes, Chelsea made wholesale changes from the midweek 1-1 UEFA Women’s Champions League draw with Ajax as Hannah Hampton, Niamh Charles, Melanie Leupolz, Sjoeke Nüsken, Lauren James and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd all returned back to the Blues starting eleven.

Seeking to avenge their 3-1 Barclays Women’s Super League defeat at the hands of Emma Hayes’ side in the middle of last month, Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall repaid the goalscoring exploits of Stina Blackstenius – following her first-half semi-final hat-trick against Aston Villa – with Alessia Russo only fit enough for a seat on the bench, by deciding the Swedish international would lead the Gunners’ line at Molineux. 

ARS: Zinsberger; Fox, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, McCabe; Pelova, Little; Lacasse, Maanum, Mead; Blackstenius 

CHE: Hampton; Périsset, Carter, Buchanan, Charles; Leupolz, Cuthbert; Nüsken, James, Kaneryd; Ramírez 

Undefeated across their previous seven matches in all competitions, Chelsea began in assertive fashion in front of a record-breaking attendance in the competition at the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers (21,462), as James stung the palms of Manuela Zinsberger with a fiercely-struck strike. 

Mayra Ramírez then thought she had given Chelsea the lead in the 22nd minute, however, VAR came to the rescue for Eidevall’s side, as the footballing gods in the sky advised referee Cheryl Foster to disallow the Colombian’s strike after adjudging Blues’ club captain Erin Cuthbert had deliberately handled the ball in the build-up. 

Made to wait patiently in their attempts to call Hannah Hampton into action, Arsenal’s attacking abundance burst into life with half-time on the horizon. First, the Lioness remained statuesque at her near post to block Cloé Lacasse’s fearsome strike towards goal before instinctively reacting, not long after, to redirect Katie McCabe’s customary effort from distance over the top of the crossbar. 

Arsenal would be dealt a big defensive blow during the break as the talismanic Leah Williamson was forced to sit out the remainder of the game with what looked like a recurrence of an ongoing injury – with Laia Codina taking her place. Despite that, it did not stop the Gunners from coming close to breaking the deadlock, as luckily for the reigning WSL champions, Hampton expertly got down to the ground at the right time to prevent Lacasse’s one-on-one effort from hitting the back of the net. 

Amid a number of substitutions from Eidevall and Hayes – but no sign of Russo who had been reported to have been significantly under the weather in midweek . It could have been James who was handed the opportunity to seal the score for Chelsea in the concluding stages of the second half, however, a heroic Manuela Zinsberger produced a world-class save with the outside of her outstretched leg to deflect the striker’s one-on-one effort wide, and in turn keep her side in the final. 

Following a worrying delay as Arsenal’s Norwegian international Frida Maanum left the pitch on a stretcher against the backdrop of concerned onlookers at Molineux – after going down off the ball – Foster confirmed an extra 30 minutes would be played to establish who would claim the League silverware for the 2023/24 season. Thankfully, during the first half of extra-time it was announced by Arsenal on Twitter/X that – “Frida is conscious, talking and in a stable condition. She will continue to be monitored closely by our medical team. We’re all with you, Frida”. 

McCabe and Blackstenius spurned glorious opportunities to give Arsenal the lead in each respective period of ET. Nonetheless, the defending champions would go on to win the match in the 116th minute as Blackstenius redeemed herself by clinically firing the ball beyond Hampton, after the ball had fortuitously fallen back into the feet of the Swedish international via the unlucky figure of Cuthbert as Caitlin Foord proved clinical in service.

Celebrations ensued in Wolverhampton, as the ringing of Louis Dunford’s The Angel- North London Forever echoed through the halls of Molineux.

Arsenal’s successful defence of their trophy denies a departing Hayes – who experienced a not-so-friendly interaction with Eidevall at full-time – from leaving Stamford Bridge this summer with four pieces of silverware. Meanwhile, Chelsea will now turn their attention back to regaining the race for the Barclays Women’s Super League title, and the search for both the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and Adobe Women’s FA Cup.