First-half headers from Lucia Garcia and Rachel Williams noticed Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-1 to succeed in 2023-24 Ladies’s FA Cup Remaining.
Garcia headed Utd forward simply 41 seconds into the match from Leah Galton’s cross, earlier than Williams doubled their lead with a twenty third minute header from Ella Toone’s cross to safe the Crimson Devils’ place within the Remaining for a second consecutive season.
Lauren James netted a consolatory purpose within the fifth minute of first-half damage time from Niamh Charles’ cutback cross, as Chelsea’s title defence got here to an finish – having gained the final three editions of this competitors.
Talking to BBC One post-match, Man Utd goalkeeper – Mary Earps praised her teammates for exhibiting want and dedication to take victory over the reigning champions.
“It was probably the most gritty, it was the one with probably the most coronary heart. Everybody that got here into the sport knew what we had been making an attempt to realize.”
Man Utd will meet Tottenham on this season’s Ladies’s FA Cup Remaining on Sunday 12 Could at Wembley Stadium, London, after Martha Thomas’ extra-time header accomplished Spurs’ 2-1 comeback win over Leicester as Jessica Naz cancelled out Jutta Rantala’s opening purpose.
Having led Chelsea to consecutive titles on this competitors throughout the final three seasons – together with victory over Utd in final season’s closing, Emma Hayes’ Blues started this semi-final tie as favourites particularly given their unbeaten file towards the Crimson Devils.
That type shortly counted for nothing barely 41 seconds into the match as Garcia nodded in from Galton’s cross to place the hosts right into a shock early lead, after Williams’ headed flick was poorly knocked down for Galton to pounce and intercept.
Utd quickly dug deep defensively to restrict Chelsea whose greatest likelihood of the primary half got here within the sixteenth minute, as ex Crimson Satan – James teed up Johanna Rytting Kaneryd whose shot was comfortably saved by Earps in direction of the near-bottom proper nook.
That wasted likelihood haunted Chelsea within the twenty third minute as Utd broke ahead however Toone discovered herself cornered by Kadeisha Buchanan, solely to wiggle free with a cross which Williams nodded into the left nook to double United’s lead while Hayes’ Blues had been left reeling in shock.
Chelsea had been finally fortunate to solely discover themselves 2-0 down heading into half-time after Williams missed an opportunity to increase Utd’s lead and rating a second purpose herself, having fired huge from Katie Zelem’s twenty eighth minute shot.
Erin Cuthbert in the meantime had seen her shot for Chelsea a minute earlier deflected huge, however the subsequent nook got here to nothing as Hayes’ Blues fought to get again into the sport of their bid to retain the title as a part of their push for a treble below their outgoing supervisor.
Utd although had saved simply two clear sheets of their final 4 house video games and couldn’t maintain Chelsea at bay till half-time, and conceded within the fourth minute of first-half injury-time after Charles was capable of reduce a cross for James to smash in and scale back the Blues’ deficit.
That purpose fired Chelsea up for the second half however James noticed a 51st minute header flapped away by Earps as Utd dug deep defensively, while Earps saved her 59th minute shot to create additional frustrations for the guests who appeared extra full of life within the second half.
Each groups nonetheless dedicated laborious of their defensive challenges with Eve Perisset, Galton, Earps and Cuthbert amongst those that wanted therapy through the second half.
Utd rode their luck twice as Zelem escaped punishment for a good handball on Rytting Kaneryd’s 58th minute shot, while Williams obtained fortunate after she blocked Niamh Charles’ cross simply 10 minutes later however referee – Kirsty Dowle didn’t adjudge each incidents as acts of handball.
Garcia nearly settled the nerves of house supporters within the eighty fifth minute as she swept Lisa Naalsund’s cross into the web for her second purpose of the match, however the purpose was chalked off because of an offside within the build-up as house followers’ celebrations shortly dissipated.
Utd finally survived eight minutes of injury-time to safe their spot within the Remaining towards Tottenham, and in-turn ensured {that a} new title will likely be on the Ladies’s FA Cup trophy for an 18th completely different time.
Marc Skinner’s Crimson Devils additionally claimed their first-ever win over Chelsea in all competitions.
Chelsea now know that successful no less than one of many Ladies’s Tremendous League and UEFA Ladies’s Champions League titles is crucial, in any other case Hayes’ closing season in cost will finish with out silverware.
What’s Subsequent?
Man Utd return to WSL motion towards Tottenham at house on Sunday 21 April in a 12pm BST kick-off at Leigh Sports activities Village.
Chelsea in the meantime host Aston Villa in a rearranged WSL match on Wednesday 17 April at Kingsmeadow at 7pm, earlier than dealing with Barcelona of their two-leg UEFA Ladies’s Champions League semi – with first leg away on 20 April (12:30pm UK Time) then at house on 27 April (5:30pm) in second leg.
Groups
Man Utd: Mary Earps, Aoife Mannion, Maya Le Tissier, Millie Turner, Hannah Blundell, Lisa Naalsund, Katie Zelem, Lucia Garcia, Ella Toone (Ladd 64′), Leah Galton (Parris 70′), Rachel Williams (Malard 70′)
Substitutes: Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Gemma Evans, Alyssa Aherne, Irene Guerrero, Hayley Ladd, Hinata Miyazawa, Geyse, Melvine Malard, Nikita Parris
Chelsea: Hannah Hampton, Eve Perisset (Lawrence 82′), Jess Carter, Kadeisha Buchanan(Nusken 70′), Niamh Charles, Erin Cuthbert (Kirby 76′), Melanie Leupolz, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Beever-Jones 76′), Lauren James, Guro Reiten (Macario 70′), Mayra Ramirez,
Substitutes: Zecira Musovic, Sophie Ingle, Sjoeke Nusken, Catarina Macario, Ashley Lawrence, Fran Kirby, Maika Hamano, Jelena Cankovic, Aggie Beever-Jones
Referee – Kirsty Dowle