Manchester City stunned Chelsea to come back from two goals down to win and confirm their place in the final of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
In front of a crowd of 7,773 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, goals from Erin Cuthbert and Sam Kerr had put Chelsea two goals to the good, a lead they maintained until there was just four more minutes of normal time to play. The visitors bit back with goals from Mary Fowler and a wonder goal from Bunny Shaw to send the match into extra time. Shaw had the final say in the tie, heading home to make it 3-2 and to send Manchester City to Wembley.
Prior to kick off these were the only two clubs in the English top flight who had secured domestic silverware, and each would face off in the hopes of securing a double. The winner would face Brighton in the final on 31st May after the South Coast side came from two goals down against Liverpool to win 3-2.
The match was Chelsea’s first at the Bridge since confirming that it would be their home for all 13 WSL fixtures next term for the very first time. Sonia Bompastor made five changes to the side that defeated Leicester City at the King Power last weekend. Alyssa Thompson, this week nominated for Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Year started. She was joined in the starting side by Sjoeke Nüsken, Veerle Buurman, Kiera Walsh and Hannah Hampton. Each of Livia Peng, Wieke Kaptein, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Lucy Bronze and Lexi Potter were dropped to the bench.
Manchester City became champions on Wednesday without needing to kick a ball as Arsenal drew 1-1 with Brighton in Crawley. Manchester City still had eyes on a domestic double however with last year’s treble winners Chelsea standing in their way on a mild afternoon in West London. Andrée Jeglertz made four changes from the narrow victory over Liverpool last week. Match winner Rebecca Knaak was absent from the Manchester City squad to face Chelsea, as was Ayaka Yamashita and Sam Coffey after starting last weekend. Aoba Fujino dropped to the bench. In their place came Khiara Keating, Grace Clinton, Leila Ouahabi and Laura Blindkilde Brown.
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw started for the visiting side amid intense speculation she might play in a different shade of blue for this fixture next year.
The Lineups
CHE: Hampton; Carpenter, Buurman, Buchanan, Charles; Walsh, Cuthbert, Nüsken; Thompson, James, Kerr
MCI: Keating; Casparij, Rose, Greenwood Ouahabi; Hasegawa, Blindkilde Brown, Clinton, Kerolin, Hemp, Shaw
The Action
Chelsea started hungrily, a smart early move saw Sam Kerr work the ball across to Lauren James who found Thompson charging into space at the Manchester City backline. Thompson’s stinging effort was tipped over by a strong hand of Keating. The City keeper was tested again shortly after, this time it was James who went for goal herself, but her ambitious lob was well stopped. City responded with a chance of their own, Shaw controlled a long ball forward expertly to give City some territory. She found Kerolin who worked it out wide to Lauren Hemp, whose dangerous whipped cross evaded all in the box.
Chelsea’s fast start was rewarded as they took the lead before the ten minute mark, Cuthbert’s deflected effort wrong footed Keating after smart wing play from Thompson. Manchester City almost had an instant response, Clinton found Blindkilde Brown in the final third who swivelled on the ball and played it to Shaw in the box. The Jamaican backheeled the ball just behind Hemp who fired the ball on the turn just wide of the upright. Chelsea almost had a second through another deflected effort from range, this time it was James taking aim. However Keating could breath a sigh of relief when Ouahabi’s block went wide.
City’s best chance of the half came on the counter attack. Kerstin Casparij played an intelligent ball in behind to Kerolin who cut it back to Shaw. The bobbling ball betrayed Shaw and her effort flew over the bar. Thompson was continuing to cause issues for the visitors, sprinting down the wing, Thompson’s ball into the box found the head of Kerr who nodded over. At the other end Shaw also sent a header over after a great cross from Hemp found her near the back post,.
City were looking for parity and a speculative effort from Blindkilde Brown tested Hampton for the first time. From far outside the box she took aim, James’ block sent the ball looping goal wards meaning Hampton had to palm it away. Chelsea had an excellent chance after half time. Swung into the box by Cuthbert, Kerr connected with the ball, it was blocked down but fell to Nüsken whose effort was deflected before dropping on the roof of the net.
Chelsea doubled their lead before the hour mark to punish Manchester City mistakes again. James’ ball into the box caused issues for Keating who fumbled the ball onto the head of Kerr, who made no mistake from the edge of the six yard box. Shaw was set up by Kerolin again shortly after but her shot flew over the bar. Chelsea thought they had a third when Kerr directed her header into the back of the net but the goal was ruled offside. City, buoyed by that decision came forward themselves, controlling the ball, Shaw juggled a touch on the edge of the box but she blasted the ball just wide of the post.
With five minutes to play, Mary Fowler got Manchester City back into the match. After the opportunity looked to have evaded them in the Chelsea box, Fowler picked it up. Moving to the edge of the box she fired on goal hitting it on the turn. From 25 yards out the Australian found the bottom corner only moments after coming on. Bunny Shaw ensured that the hope that goal instilled was capitalised on. The ball was headered into the box by Iman Beney, Shaw chested the ball down before acrobatically finding the bottom corner to level the scores. That sent the away end into raptures and the tie into extra time.
Within minutes of the start of extra time Chelsea felt they should have had a penalty. A deflected clearance dropped in a good position for Beever-Jones who looked to pounce, but Keating reacted quickly to palm the ball away. With Keating still on the ground and Nüsken trying to control it, the referee blew the whistle for a free kick to Manchester City. Shortly after City should have been ahead, Shaw scrambled in behind but blasted her shot wide of the target.
Manchester City turned the tie around just minutes later, playing out from the back Chelsea came undone. Hampton’s ball was intercepted by Hasegawa who lofted the ball into the box, Shaw met it in the air finding the net. Chelsea fought back against Manchester City in the second half of extra time, Sandy Baltimore’s corner almost found the net directly, hitting the near post and bouncing out. Cuthbert came desperately close to an equaliser deep into injury time, latching onto a cut back from Beever-Jones but her effort, on the stretch was lifted over the bar.
Chelsea came close to levelling again when Wiekie Kaptein’s ball into the box found the head of Nüsken. But a flying paw from Keating tipped the ball onto the post and out. Walsh fired an effort over with minutes remaining but the leveller would not come, Manchester City were Wembley bound.
Chelsea Player Ratings
GK: Hannah Hampton – 6/10 – The Chelsea number one made a great save from a deflected shot late in the first half against Manchester City. Hard to judge Hampton on the two wonder goals that followed.
RB: Ellie Carpenter – 7/10 – Had an exciting battle with Lauren Hemp on the right side. The Chelsea full back worked hard after Cities unlikely comeback.
CB: Kadeisha Buchanan – 8/10 – Buchanan made an exceptional tackle on Bunny Shaw in the box early in the first half. Chelsea looked far weaker defensively with her off the pitch.
CB: Veerle Buurman – 7.5/10 – Struggled at times dealing with the threat of Shaw and was lucky that the referee was lenient with her.
LB: Niamh Charles – 6/10 – Had a mixed match, positive going forward but struggled at times in defence.
CM: Keira Walsh– 7/10 – Helped Chelsea to win the midfield battle for much of the match even if that fell away at the end of the match.
CM: Erin Cuthbert – 7.5/10 – Her effort from outside the box opened the scoring for Chelsea, it was a tenacious performance from the Chelsea captain.
CAM: Sjoeke Nüsken – 7.5/10 – Overrun when on the ball in midfield at times, seemed to switch positions with Lauren James for a period to ensure Chelsea could get a foothold in midfield.
RW: Alyssa Thompson – 8/10 – Her early effort was well saved by Keating, did extremely well to become a nuisance for the home side’s defence. At one point dribbled Maradona like through the City defence only to be dispossessed by a perfect challenge from Rose.
LW: Lauren James – 8/10 – As always she dictated the match, came short when Chelsea were struggling to hold onto possession in midfield in the first half. A constant threat moving forward.
ST: Sam Kerr – 8.5/10 – With so much of the talk about her opposite number pre kick off it was clear Kerr had a point to prove. Her movement caused issues for the away side and she nabbed a typical poachers goal. Textbook Kerr.
SUBS
Lucy Bronze (70′ Buurman) – 6.5/10 – Bronze was not able to deal with Shaw in the same fashion Buurman had.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (80′ Thompson) – 6.5/10 – Stretched the Manchester City defence as best she could but does not have the same threat as Thompson and it showed.
Aggie Beever-Jones (90′ Kerr) – 6/10 – Struggled to get involved in the match and replicate the performance of Kerr.
Sandy Baltimore (90′ James) – 6/10 – Did not have the impact her manager would have asked from her. Hit the post after almost scoring an olympico.
Wieke Kaptein (90′ Buchanan) – 7/10 – The Dutch midfielder almost created the leveller in extra time with a great cross into the box.
Manchester City Player Ratings
GK: Khiara Keating – 6/10 – Made an excellent save within the first minute of the match. Poor distribution helped create the first goal and the second goal was the type of error she won’t want to see back. Her save in the final moments of extra time was astonishing.
RB: Kerstin Casparij – 6/10 – Made a number of smart interceptions but struggled to get forward as much as she might have liked.
CB: Alex Greenwood – 8/10 – Back at centre back today, she worked hard in defence and made the most defensive contributions of any player, 11 more than the next most.
CB: Jade Rose – 7.5/10 – Made an astonishing challenge to deny Thompson in the box. Could not prevent either of the Chelsea goals.
LB: Leila Ouahabi – 7/10 – Put her body on the line to block a number of efforts on goal.
CM: Yui Hasegawa – 7.5/10 – A uncharacteristically quiet game from Hasegawa for much of the 90 minutes. However she met the moment with an inch perfect cross for Shaw helped City take victory.
CM: Laura Blindkilde Brown – 7/10 – Played well at times and continues to link up smartly in the double pivot with Yui Hasegawa.
CAM: Grace Clinton – 6.5/10 – Clinton looked bright in midfield for City, if Shaw does leave that could open the door to Clinton playing in the ten more often. She demonstrated some of the merits of her playing in that position today, but faded in the second half.
RW: Kerolin – 7.5/10 – Had nowhere near the joy she had when scoring a hat trick against Chelsea in the league earlier this term. Created a few opportunities for Shaw and was unlucky they weren’t taken.
LW: Lauren Hemp – 7.5/10 – Hemp is one of the most effective wingers in the league, created two chances. Made a vital challenge to deny Kaneryd with seconds remaining of normal time.
ST: Khadija Shaw – 9/10 – A wonderful bit of centre forward play gave City the platform to go forward for their first attack. Fired multiple shots over the bar, and was profligate in front of goal. Just when it looked like it would not be her day she scored one of the most extraordinary goals you are likely to see, and followed it up with the winner.
SUBS
Aoba Fujino (66′ Clinton) – 7/10 – Blasted a shot over after coming on, but was providing a threat at least.
Iman Beney (66′ Casparij) – 8/10 – It was Beney who combined with Fowler to score the goal that gave City hope before doing the same for Shaw minutes after.
Mary Fowler (86′ Ouahabi) – 8/10 – Off the bench and onto the scoresheet, Fowler made an instant impact.
Sydney Lohmann (86′ Blindkilde Brown) – 7/10 – Lohmann helped City gain control of the match after coming on.
Laura Coombes (120′ Shaw) – N/A –
Lily Murphy (120′ Kerolin) – N/A –
