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.”
Chelsea 1-1 Man City
50 mins: Manchester City win a free-kick midway inside the Chelsea half. Greenwood fizzes it in low and Carter puts it behind for a corner.
Weir delivers but Berger punches clear of danger. Chelsea are incredibly impressive when defending set-pieces. They didn’t concede from any throughout the entire Women’s Super League season.
Chelsea 1-1 Man City
48 mins: Great start from both sides! Harder finds Reiten on the left and she whips a ball across the box which Roebuck superbly dives and holds onto.
Then City break and Hemp sends a delicious delivery across the penalty area but Kelly can’t get any contact on it at the back post.
Chelsea 1-1 Man City
46 mins: Back underway at Wembley Stadium. Who will be the hero in the second half of this Women’s FA Cup final?
No changes from either manager.
HT: Chelsea 1-1 Man City
And here is the Manchester City equaliser. A wonderful piece of individual play from Lauren Hemp.
HT: Chelsea 1-1 Man City
Let’s take a look at the goals so far then. Here is Sam Kerr’s opener. You may think it was Millie Bright’s goal at first, but I assure you Kerr did get a vital touch!
HT: Chelsea 1-1 Man City
Half-time: So that’s the end of the first 45 minutes in the 2022 Vitality Women’s FA Cup final and we are all square between Chelsea and Manchester City.
Sam Kerr gave Chelsea the lead, nodding home from a Millie Bright cross which looped over Ellie Roebuck.
But City levelled nine minutes later when Lauren Hemp struck a wonderful curling effort into the top corner.
All to play for.
Chelsea 1-1 Man City
45+2 mins: City have their tails up now! Stanway drives forward as Chelsea back off. She could slip Shaw in but instead takes the shot on which is blocked. It falls for Stanway again and her second effort cannons off what she believes to be an arm. The referee is unmoved.
Moments later Shaw goes down looking for a penalty under pressure from Nouwen but again the official is uninterested.
All of a sudden Chelsea will want half-time!
Chelsea 1-1 Man City
45 mins: So a rather fortunate goal for Chelsea and an absolutely sensational one for Manchester City. We are all square.
Three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Man City (Hemp, 42)
42 mins: WHAT A GOAL THAT IS!
Manchester City work the ball into Shaw and she turns into acres of space. She drives at the Chelsea back line before laying it off to Hemp. At first the chance seems as if it may have gone when Hemp let’s it run out wide. But she cuts back inside, gives herself a yard of space in front of Bright, and curls a wicked effort into the far corner!
Wonderful stuff.
Chelsea 1-0 Man City
41 mins: Approaching the end of the first half and Manchester City have created very little since the chances for Hemp, Weir and Kelly in the first few minutes of the match.
Stanway and England challenge for a high ball and the Manchester City player commits the foul with a shoulder check into the face of England.
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