Chelsea women book their ticket to Wembley with 3-0 win over Man City in women’s FA Cup semi-final

This was not the ‘epic’ encounter we are used to seeing from Manchester City v Chelsea. 

Emma Hayes had talked up the previous clashes between the two teams – games that saw excitement, tension and drama. But an eighth semi-final between the two teams in seven years was anything but with the Blues booking their place in the FA Cup final with a 3-0 victory at the Academy Stadium.

Four days after Pep Guardiola’s side saw their dominance of the Carabao Cup come to an end, City’s women suffered their first FA Cup defeat in three years. The last team to beat them? Chelsea.

Chelsea booked their ticket to Wembley with 3-0 win over champions Manchester City

Bethany England celebrates her goal as she secured Chelsea’s place in the final at Wembley

City were looking to make it three FA Cup trophies on the bounce to lift what has been a dismal start to the Women’s Super League season. Gareth Taylor’s side are 11 points behind leaders Arsenal with just one win from their opening five games. But it will be Hayes’ side who return to play the 2020-2021 final at Wembley on December 5.

Chelsea weren’t at their scintillating best, but they didn’t need to be. Sam Kerr understandably looked tired after two games away with Australia and the Blues missed the energy of Pernille Harder, who dropped out of the team on Saturday with a minor injury. 

But they were still victorious over a City side who continue to be plagued by absences. Taylor was without nine first-teamers for this match, six of whom are injured. 

Georgia Stanway is still suspended following her red card against Manchester United and Alanna Kennedy and Ruby Mace were ineligible due to playing for different teams earlier in the competition, a rule which Taylor felt was impractical given the competition has been carried over from last season. Vicky Losada and Hayley Raso both made their returns from the bench but neither looked anywhere near match fit.

But despite Chelsea being overwhelming favourites, the hosts made a bright start and had chances to take the lead in the opening 20 minutes.

Ellen White had an effort saved in the fifth minute before Jill Scott headed a Janine Beckie cross wide. Lauren Hemp, who has comfortably been City’s best player this season, was causing problems down the left and her trickery and pace produced a near-post cross for White in the 17th minute, but the striker’s first time effort was unable to find the target.

While City looked dangerous down the wings, their vulnerability in defence continued to show and they were lucky not to go behind when Aniek Nouwen headed over from an Erin Cuthbert free-kick. 

Cuthbert made sure Chelsea’s next chance counted and in the 22nd minute she put her side ahead. The Scot got away from Alex Greenwood to meet Guro Reiten’s corner, taking one touch before firing a half-volley past Karima Taieb at her near post. Cuthbert’s shot was relatively close to the City goalkeeper, who seemed to be beaten by power.

Midfielder Erin Cuthbert (left) opened the scoring from a corner in the 23rd minute 

Midfielder Melanie Leupolz (right) celebrates doubling Chelsea’s lead with Sophie Ingle (left)

If Taieb should have done better with the first Chelsea goal, she was certainly at fault for the second. It should have been a routine save to keep out Melanie Leupolz’s shot, which lacked much power, but she could only palm the ball into the corner of the net. 

While that was a horror moment for the City ‘keeper, it was Taieb who was responsible for keeping the score at 2-0 before half-time, with a hat-trick of impressive saves. 

The first saw her come rushing out to block Sam Kerr’s shot with her legs before a reaction stop to deny Fran Kirby moments later. She then managed to claw away Leupolz’s deflected header from the resulting corner. 

There was another big save from the ‘keeper at the start of the second half when she got down low to save Cuthbert’s close-range effort. But with the damage already done, those saves counted for little – such is the life of a goalkeeper. 

England compounded City’s misery with a late third goal to secure Chelsea’s final spot

Bethany England wrapped up Chelsea’s win as she headed home from Jessie Fleming’s cross

Beth England compounded City’s misery with a late third goal, heading home Jessie Fleming’s cross in the 88th minute.

Chelsea beat City to the Women’s Super League by a point last season and they are 8 points ahead of Taylor’s side currently. They return to the Academy Stadium in two weeks time and another defeat for City will likely all-but end any faint hope of a title challenge. 

‘Champions of England, we know what we are,’ sang Chelsea’s fans throughout the 90 minutes and by full-time they were singing ‘que sera, sera.’