In April 2018, Chelsea qualified for their fourth Women’s FA Cup final by defeating FA Women’s Super League 1 title rivals Manchester City 2-0 at Kingsmeadow.
It was to be a special season for Emma Hayes’ side who went on to add another league title to their list of club honours, finishing six points clear of nearest title rivals Manchester City in FA Women’s Super League 1.
FA Women’s Super League Full-Time have again gone back into the archives to look at what happened in that Women’s FA Cup semi-final tie between The Blues and City on what turned out to be a nail-biting afternoon at Kingsmeadow.
Games between the two sides in the league in 2017/2018 had been very tight affairs with Chelsea and Manchester City having battled to a stalemate at Kingsmeadow and a 2-2 draw at The Academy Stadium just a couple of months before their Women’s FA Cup semi-final showdown. There was therefore a feeling ahead of the match that the latest meeting could go to extra-time or even the dreaded penalty shootout.
Chelsea took the lead in just the fifth minute at Kingsmeadow when Manchester City defender Steph Houghton failed to deal with a long ball upfield and Kirby raced away before slotting her effort beyond visiting keeper Ellie Roebuck.
Maren Mjelde and Kirby went close to adding to The Blues’ lead in the first half before Nikita Parris’ powerful strike whizzed the wrong side of the post at the other end.
The second half produced few clear goalscoring chances with Chelsea in two minds over whether to push forward or protect their one-goal lead and Manchester City not really at their best. Forward Drew Spence went close for the hosts while Chelsea keeper Hedvig Lindahl needed to be on top form to tip Georgia Stanway’s header over the bar.
Chelsea made sure of their place at Wembley 16 minutes from time as they capitalised on another Manchester City defensive error. Jen Beattie should have got the ball under her control but failed to do so, allowing Kirby to take full advantage.
At Wembley, Chelsea went on to defeat London rivals Arsenal 3-1 as they lifted the Women’s FA Cup for a second time, before completing their league and cup double by adding the FA Women’s Super League 1 title to their trophy cabinet 10 days later.