Chelsea vs Man City LIVE: Women’s FA Cup result and final score as Sam Kerr hits extra-time winner
The Australian’s strike deflected in off Alex Greenwood as Emma Hayes landed her 11th piece of silverware with the Blues
Chelsea retained the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday with a 3-2 extra-time win over Manchester City, completing the double this season after winning the Super League title last week.
City had twice equalised, first through Lauren Hemp after Sam Kerr’s opener and, near the end, Hayley Raso cancelled out Erin Cuthbert’s screamer. However, Kerr struck early in the first period of extra time to give Chelsea their fourth FA Cup.
It is the 11th major trophy for Chelsea under Emma Hayes since the Briton took charge in 2012.
The holders opened the scoring around the half-hour mark at a wet Wembley with a header from Australian striker Kerr after a deep cross from Millie Bright. But, they were pegged back by a beautiful finish from City forward Hemp shortly before halftime.
Chelsea midfielder Cuthbert thundered a long-range effort in off the crossbar around the hour mark to retake the lead and that looked like it would be enough to win as the clock ticked down.
However, Gareth Taylor’s City never gave in and in the 89th minute a long cross-field ball from City’s Alex Greenwood was taken down well by Australian Raso who ran at goal and fired in the equaliser to take the game to extra time.
City pressed for a winner but were undone nine minutes into the first period when Kerr picked up the ball in her own half and ran at goal before seeing her shot take a big deflection off Greenwood and trickle in.
Chelsea then kept City at bay to win a second successive FA Cup in front of 49,094 fans, a record attendance for the final beating the previous mark of 45,423 set in 2018.
“I don’t score goals like that but it’s an amazing honour, Cuthbert told the BBC.
“I thought it was going to be a winning goal and it wasn’t, Sam’s was just as important, it took a deflection and it doesn’t matter what the goal looks like as long as it goes in. If they go in like that at Wembley I’m happy.
“So many times this year we have been faced with adversity, COVID, injuries, we’ve had to use the squad. We used the squad today and I’m proud to end it on such a high.”
Women’s FA Cup final team news
Chelsea XI: Berger, Nouwen, Eriksson, Bright, Carter, Ingle, Cuthbert, Reiten, Harder, Kerr, England
Man City XI: Roebuck, Bronze, Kennedy, Greenwood (C), Stokes, Walsh, Stanway, Weir, Kelly, Hemp, Shaw
Chelsea handed boost as Kirby declared available for FA Cup final
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has revealed forward Fran Kirby will be available for the Women’s FA Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday, in what is also a huge boost for England ahead of the Euros this summer.
Kirby has not played since February and was ruled out for the “foreseeable future” last month due to health concerns. The 28-year-old spent nine months on the sidelines after being diagnosed with a heart condition in 2019, but has been passed fit ahead of the final.
Chelsea had planned to gradually reintroduce Kirby after she returned to training this week but Hayes said the forward had been looking sharp as she declared herself ready for full participation.
“I don’t want to put any pressure on her because I love that kid and she has been through a lot, but she looked as if she had not even been away,” Hayes said on Friday. “She looked that good in training.
“It’s nice to see a smile on her face and she’s been participating in everything. At the beginning of the week we said, Let’s see how it goes’. She said, ‘I’m fine’ and has been in training all week. I’m over the moon to be honest.”
Chelsea handed boost as Fran Kirby declared available for Women’s FA Cup final
Kirby has not played since February but is in line to make a sensational return in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley
Chelsea’s WSL title bid is a pressure release, not a worry, says Emma Hayes
Emma Hayes says her anxiety is reserved for getting son Harry to school on time rather than trying to deliver a third consecutive Women’s Super League title for Chelsea on the last day of the season.
Leaders Chelsea head into their final game at home to Champions League-chasing Manchester United on Sunday with a one-point advantage over Arsenal.
The Gunners finish their season at West Ham knowing victory over their London rivals may not be enough to stop Chelsea claiming a fifth WSL title.
Asked if she suffers from nerves ahead of big games, Hayes said at her pre-match press conference: “Do you know I get really nervous when Harry won’t get out of the door in time to get to school. That’s when I get anxious.
“I get nervous around my child going too fast on his bike towards the end of the road. Terrified. That’s nerves.
“This is pleasure, joy, release. Being in a dressing room of people who are amazing.”
More from the Chelsea Women boss here:
Chelsea’s WSL title bid is a pressure release, not a worry, says Emma Hayes
Arsenal trail the Blues by one point heading into the final game of the WSL season.
Is the Women’s FA Cup final on TV today?
The Women’s FA Cup final will see Chelsea and Manchester City go head to head in a meeting of two in-form teams at Wembley today.
Chelsea finished the season as Women’s Super League champions for the third year in a row while City have also won silverware after beating the Blues in March’s League Cup final.
Emma Hayes’ side have been victorious at Wembley already this season after a 3-0 over rivals Arsenal in December sealed last season’s delayed FA Cup final. Manchester City won the previous two before that, and you have to go back to 2016 for the last time a team other than Chelsea or City won the FA Cup.
The teams both come into the match on the back of lengthy winning runs, with City winning 13 in a row and and Chelsea on a 11-match streak. The last time both teams lost was also to each other, so what could a record-breaking Women’s FA Cup final crowd at Wembley will be treated to the top two teams in the land.
Here’s everything you need to know before the match.
Is the Women’s FA Cup final on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch
Everything you need to know ahead of the Women’s FA Cup final today
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments