Chelsea have reached the Vitality Women’s FA Cup final for the first time in three seasons after seeing-off Manchester City 3-0 in their semi-final at The Academy Stadium.
First half strikes from Erin Cuthbert and Melanie Leupolz set Chelsea on their way, before Beth England added to the scoreline with a minute to go as they booked their place in December’s showpiece at the national stadium.
Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City side had struggled so far this season in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, but came into this game confident off the back of a 5-1 win over Everton in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup two weeks ago. The Cityzens were looking to reach their third successive Vitality Women’s FA Cup final.
Taylor made two changes from the side that beat Everton, as Demi Stokes and Jill Scott came into the starting XI to replace the cup-tied Ruby Mace and Alanna Kennedy.
Emma Hayes’ Chelsea side were looking reach their fifth Vitality Women’s FA Cup final after already winning the Barclays Women’s Super League title and FA Women’s Continental League Cup last season.
Following their 2-1 win away at Juventus in the UEFA Women’s Champions League a fortnight ago, Blues boss Hayes made two changes to her starting XI ahead of kick-off at The Academy Stadium, as Sophie Ingle and Aniek Nouwen came in to replace Ji So-yun and Pernille Harder.
In his pre-match programme notes, Taylor revealed that reaching the Vitality Women’s FA Cup final was a massive target for his side and they went close to opening the scoring after five minutes. A ball was played into a packed penalty area from the left-hand side and Janine Beckie was picked out at the far post but she couldn’t find a sky blue shirt available in the box.
Lauren Hemp made a brilliant break down the left-flank minutes later before crossing low to Ellen White, but the forward could only hit the side-netting from close range at the front post.
The visitors, who had beaten London City Lionesses, Everton and Birmingham City to get to this stage, went close through Sam Kerr when she headed wide across the face of goal, before an unmarked Nouwen headed inches wide of Karima Benameur Taieb’s right-hand post from a free-kick minutes later.
Chelsea took the lead in the 23rd minute through Cuthbert, who controlled the ball brilliantly on the right-hand side of the penalty area after being picked out by a short corner. She hit a fierce effort on goal with the ball going through the hands of Taieb into the back of the net.
Leupolz doubled Chelsea’s lead five minutes later when a clearance from Stokes only reached the edge of the area. The German midfielder picked up the ball and hit a low effort from 20 yards out which beat Taieb at her near post to double the South West Londoners’ lead.
Taieb had to react quickly to deny Kerr from close range after being played in behind by Fran Kirby, before her strike partner was also denied by the Manchester City keeper, as she tipped over an effort in the penalty area from a tight angle.
The Manchester City shot stopper had to react again quickly six minutes into the second half when she denied Cuthbert from adding to the scoreline from point-blank range.
The home side upped the tempo in the final third around the hour mark and went close through Hemp on two occasions. First, she drilled the ball across the face of goal after Chelsea had failed to clear the danger from a corner, before she made a brilliant run down the left-hand side and dragged a shot on goal wide of Ann-Katrin Berger’s left-hand post.
The away side looked to add a third goal and went close through a Millie Bright header, before second half substitute Beth England’s volley from six yards was kept out by Taieb.
Chelsea made it 3-0 with a minute to go when Jessie Fleming made a brilliant break down the right-hand side and crossed for an unmarked England who headed the ball home into the roof of the net to put the game well and truly to bed.
The victory for Chelsea means that they will now take on Arsenal or Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2020/2021 Vitality Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 5 December.