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 1-0 Man City
38 mins: Eriksson is clipped by Shaw as Chelsea earn themselves a free-kick inside their own half. A bit of frustration from Manchester City there?
Gareth Taylor’s side started the game the better. But since the opening 10 minutes Chelsea have continued to grow into the game and now look the dominant team.
Chelsea 1-0 Man City
36 mins: Chelsea are all over Manchester City now. Roebuck goes walkabout and Harder nearly punishes her as she tries to caress the ball goalwards from 30 yards out but she lifts it over the top.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Man City (Kerr, 33)
33 mins: MY WORD! CHELSEA LEAD IN EXTRAORDINARY FASHION!
Well at first I thought it was Millie Bright’s goal but Sam Kerr actually got a touch!
The original free-kick is cleared but Chelsea recycle it on the other side. Bright swings in a cross from the right and it loops over Roebuck into the net! It looked as if it went straight in but Kerr actually nodded it home on the goal line.
Chelsea lead.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City
32 mins: YELLOW! Manchester City defender Kennedy goes into the book after a very late challenge on Harder deep inside her own half.
Chelsea have a free-kick in a dangerous area here. It’s to the left-hand side of the penalty area - a perfect position to swing in a cross.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City
30 mins: Kelly sprints onto a long ball and just about keeps it in on the byline. She then tries to take on Carter but the Chelsea defender does brilliantly to win the ball back and then draw a free-kick for her side.
Very much a stalemate so far. Both sides are trying to work each other out, aware of the dangers they possess.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City
28 mins: Kerr drives forward for Chelsea and suddenly it’s three-on-two for the WSL champions. Kerr has England and Harder in space but can’t find the right ball as Stokes cuts the final pass out.
Been that sort of game so far. Space to exploit but the final ball has been lacking.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City
26 mins: Weird rolls her marker and forces a pair of Chelsea players to chop her down. Weir delivers the set-piece into the box but Chelsea comfortably clear their lines.
City have had very little success in the final third since that frantic opening five minutes. Chelsea are defending well now.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City
24 mins: Shaw suffers a knock after a collision with Cuthbert and requires some treatment before the game can resume. She has a brief chat with manager Gareth Taylor before returning to the field of play.
We are back underway as England flicks a high ball on towards Harder but Greenwood heads the danger clear.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City
22 mins: The match has certainly settled down a lot since that opening five or 10 minutes when Man City were well on top.
You feel this slower tempo might be just what Chelsea want. If they can dictate the pace then Man City will struggle to hurt them with their pace in behind.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City
20 mins: Kelly does superbly down the right as she darts to the byline and digs out across but Chelsea keeper Berger is there to claim.
The ball is in the net! But it’s offside. Kerr sets off behind the City defence and knocks it past Roebuck before tucking home but she was several yards offside.
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