Match report
Post-amble
And that’s that. Man City take the first domestic honour of the season, deservedly in the end after a superb second-half recovery in a decent game, which improved steadily after a slightly scrappy start. They put their first-half defensive jitters behind them with a fluent and incisive second-half display, in which Lauren Hemp and Caroline Weir were immense. Thanks for following. Bye.
Emma Hayes speaks:
“Even in the first half we did enough without having control of the football in the way we wanted, and that’s what let us down today – we didn’t keep the ball well enough and when the momentum shifted it wasn’t enough. The best team won the game over the 90 minutes,
“It’s easy to make emotional remarks now, and when it goes 2-1, then 3-1 it gets more open. I’ve never seen us concede as poorly as we have done and we missed some experience today and it showed. It was their day today and well done to them.”
Gareth Taylor’s up next:
“I’m just really proud of the players – we were immense in the second half, so good. We knew we weren’t great in the first half and spoke a bit at half-time about belief and faith. We went up so many levels in the second half, and were deserved winners. We’ve been through some tough moments and came out the other side.”
The same goes for the Cup presentation. Ellen White casually strolls past the podium, picks up the cup herself and joins her teammates for the full trophy-aloft, fireworks and confetti frenzy.
And here come the new League Cup winners. They’re collecting their medals themselves, rather than being presented with them by some suit or other. A buffet ceremony, if you will.
Chelsea’s disconsolate players collect their runners-up medals. Time to concentrate on the league, and FA Cup.
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Caroline Weir speaks: “In the first half struggled a little bit but we upped our tempo after that. It was important we got an early goal in the second half and went from there top performance from the whole team. It was a hard start to the season but we’ve kept working hard and it showed today.”
Ellen White runs to celebrate with a fan with a hand-written banner in her honour. All for that – not enough of those in the modern game.
What a turnaround from City, who were defensively shaky in the first half and jolted by Chelsea’s press. But once they levelled they were dominant, slicker, swifter and sharper in the box, pulling Chelsea out of shape with their greater width. Hemp and Weir in particular were magnificent. And Taylor is now cavorting with his players and City’s fans, who looked and sounded outnumbered tonight (unsurprisingly, given Chelsea play only a few miles up the road) but are now enjoying the moment.
Full-time: Chelsea 1-3 Man City – City win the Conti Cup!
Silverware for Manchester City! An emphatic and impressive triumph is sealed. Chelsea’s domestic dominance is interrupted.
90+1 mins: Stanway shows great trickery and deft touch to get clear on halfway but runs out of steam, as well she might at this stage, and the move breaks down.
We’ll have four added minutes.
89 mins: And another Chelsea sub: Abdullina for Andersson, who’s had a quiet game.
87 mins: Hemp – again – instigates another attack, this time racing clear on the right and crossing but the ensuing shot’s wide. The industrious and potent Weir is named the BBC’s player of the match.
Another City sub: Shaw for White.
86 mins: A lovely expansive move from Weir to Stanway to Blakstad on the left, but her cross can’t pick out White.
85 mins: How different might this game have been had Kirby and Cuthbert been fit? Chelsea have lacked menace in this half, but City’s attacking talents have expressed themselves to the max.
84 mins: Now Greenwood gets forward and does some corner-flag clock-running-down before being outmuscled and Chelsea get a goalkick.
83 mins: The first corner is headed behind for another one, which Roebuck has to punch clear under pressure. It comes back to Andersson, whose cross sparks a bit of a scramble before City clear and break …
82 mins: Beth England’s first activity sees her barrel down the right and win a corner for Chelsea …
81 mins: Man City sub: Raso, who’s been excellent, is replaced by Julie Blakstad.
80 mins: Hemp drives into the box from the left and draws another stop from Berger. The space she’s getting on that side now. And a player of her verve and class is revelling in it.
79 mins: Chelsea win a corner on the left but the low delivery to the near post is again cleared.
78 mins: Chelsea sub: Charles off, England on.
77 mins: Harder gets clear down the left for the first time in aeons, pulls it back for Kerr in the box, but she’s crowded out and City can clear.
76 mins: This corner ends with Berger gathering and some brief respite for Chelsea.
75 mins: Berger spills Bronze’s header and Raso nearly gets there to make it four. Chelsea were slow to react twice there. And go on to concede another corner, City’s 437th of this half.
74 mins: Another Chelsea sub is imminent, but for now City are passing and pressing and Hemp wins another corner after another flowing right-to-left move
72 mins: I’ve not seen Chelsea look this ragged in a long time, and you didn’t see it coming at all in the first half. White has a golden chance to make it four when she’s picked out in the box but this time her shot is firm but straight at Berger.
71 mins: City are rampant now, Hemp scuttling forward again and playing in Raso on the right but it’s just overhit. Goalkick
A searching corner from the left is well nodded back across the area by Bronze. The header out goes only as far as Weir, who volleys with accuracy and skill into the top corner.
Goal! Chelsea 1-3 Man City (Weir 69)
And that’s a sumptuous strike
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69 mins: Weir wins another City corner after making more hay down that left side. From which …
68 mins: Chelsea sub: James on for Reiten, who’d been playing decently, but the holders need more firepower now.
67 mins: The City corner brings another one, as it’s cleared at the near post. This one is headed harmlessly wide though. But City still look the more likely to score
65 mins: Stokes robs Kerr and motors down the left with purpose before Bright chases her down but at the expense of a corner.
64 mins: More indecision in Chelsea’s defence gives Stanway and Raso a chance to combine down by the right byline but they’re crowded out this time.
63 mins: Hemp is currently the best attacking player on the pitch, and she drives forward on the left again but this time her low ball in is cleared for a throw.
59 mins: City have found the space, width and fluency they lacked before the break now, attacking from more angles and in greater numbers. Can Chelsea respond?
Ellen White, who had been quiet, shows her poachers’ instinct to snaffle from close range after a fine run and low cross from Hemp was pushed out by Berger into the onrushing forward. Who’s winning the chess match now?
Goal! Chelsea 1-2 Man City (White 57)
City have turned this on its head!
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55 mins: Bronze and Stanway combine on the right to set up another phase of City attacking possession but Hemp’s final ball is cleared. Chelsea then counter quickly, and Charles’s shot is well saved by Roebuck, diving to her left. It’s opened right up now, this.
54 mins: The busy Reiten sends another ball in from the left, but Roebuck is out quickly to gather.
53 mins: Reiten’s firm, teasing corner is met by a flicked header from Harder, who can’t quite find the accuracy or force and it drifts wide. Walsh did well to track her mind.
52 mins: That was the first time Chelsea’s defence had really looked open and vulnerable, but they’ve responded positively since and win a corner on the left …
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This was all too easy for City, Stanway getting clear down the right and having time and space to slide the ball across the area to Weir, on the penalty spot, to thump the ball low into the corner. Berger gets a foot to it but can’t stop it hitting the net. Charles is at least back on her feet.
Goal! Chelsea 1-1 Man City (Weir)
And while Chelsea are down to 10, City level!
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47 mins: Niamh Charles needs treatment having seemingly collided with a hoarding; she’s clutching her head and looking in pain.
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Peep! We go again, City getting us back under way.
The teams return to the field. I don’t think any subs have been made.
Emma Hayes strolls back out, cup of coffee in hand, with the nonchalance of a spectator, but she’s the smartest tactician in the room so far.
Half-time: Chelsea 1-0 Man City
Well if there is a chess game going on out there, Emma Hayes is winning it. Chelsea have looked more purposeful and confident in a game in which possession and territory have been fairly even. But City’s attacking talents haven’t been able to shape the game, Hemp being the liveliest of a well-smothered bunch. And their defence looks error-prone. Chelsea deserve to lead. Back in a bit.
45 mins: A cross from the left causes momentary panic in the Chelsea box and Raso almost gets ahead of Berger on the edge of the six-yard box but the keeper gathers. We’ll have one added minute.
43 mins: Chelsea go close! The ball is cleared from the corner but only as far as Charles who brings it down smartly and volleys just over.
42 mins: … which is cleared and Chelsea counter swiftly, with Reiten sliding in Harder, but she’s forced wide by Walsh who concedes the corner
41 mins: Raso wins the ball down the right off Andersson, who recovers to block the cross and concede a corner …
38 mins: The subsequent free-kick is headed wide by Bright, who’s flagged offside anyway.
37 mins: Bronze gets a yellow card after shoving down Kerr, who’d got the better of her for pace.
36 mins: Given the general anxiety in City’s defence, that goal was hardly a surprise, though it did come slightly against the run of play. City are still pressing forward but haven’t hurt Chelsea’s back line in the same way.
35 mins: City press immediately, but Chelsea hold them at arms length and Hemp can only fire well wide from distance.
Goal! Chelsea 1-0 Man City (Kerr 33)
The holders lead! Chelsea build elegantly with Harder showing some trickery by the left byline, her cross is cleared but it comes back from Reiten. Roebuck comes for the cross, drops it in the melee, and Kerr turns and swivels brilliantly to fire into the corner, beating the defender on the line.
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29 mins: Stanway is given space to drive forward down the middle, but her final ball slid in for White is overhit and goes for a goalkick.
28 mins: Chelsea chance. Sloppy defending from City, as Greenwood is dispossessed inher own box by Kerr, who plays in Harder for a knockback to Ji, who’s closed down sufficiently for her shot to go wide. City’s back line are still living dangerously.
26 mins: Off the post! Hemp does her stuff for the first time running from left to right to set up Stanway for a great ball that’s thudded into a post by Hemp. Best chance so far – she should have scored. And from the rebound a shot from Bronze appears to strike Ingle on the arm. Again, no penalty given. After a nervy start, City are edging this.
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24 mins: Charles gets a talking to from the referee after tugging Hemp’s shirt on the left, but no card. Greenwood’s curling free-kick is easily gathered by Berger though.
22 mins: Roebuck hacks a clearance into the stand, giving Chelsea a chance to build an attack from the throw but they’re pushed back and City advance again.
20 mins: The free-kick from Greenwood is rather wasted and nodded clear.
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19 mins: City currently bossing territory and possessing but not getting that far with it, until Stokes winsa free-kick on the left after being tripped by Charles.
16 mins: A better spell from City now as Bronze gets forward for the first time but her chipped ball forward is easily gathered by Berger.
15 mins: Rasp robs Charles and drives into the box but can’t pick out White and is well closed down. White is found a few moments later when it drops for her just on the edge of the area, and she volleys acrobatically over. And was offside anyway. It’s busy, but scrappy. No really the chess match promised.
12 mins: Reiten creates another half-chance as she slides a low ball across the area but Greenwood clears. Earlier in the move Chelsea have a half-shout for a penalty when the ball ricochets off Kennedy’s arm. Nowt given
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11 mins: The industrious Charles wins a corner for Chelsea, after hassling Greenwood down the right. Reiten’s delivery prompts more jitters in the City defence but they get it clear in the end.
8 mins: … aIt’s been pretty frenetic stuff thus far, with both sides looking dangerous but also as if they’ve got a mistake in them. City play their way into trouble again after Ji interrupts an attempt to pass it out of defence, the Korean plays in Harder but Roebuck gathers the cross
6 mins: … a mistake from the Chelsea keeper Berger, under pressure from White, gives the ball away and gives Hemp a sniff and she tries to play in White, but Chelsea managed to scramble clear. But that was risky stuff from the holders
5 mins: … and this corner provokes uncertainty in the City box but Roebuck does well to assert herself and punch clear. The danger is eventually averted.
4 mins: Kerr gets clear down the right and wins the game’s first corner after her cross is well intercepted by Greenwood. From the corner, another cross is headed behind again by Greenwood for another corner …
3 mins: City respond swiftly and Stokes gets down the left but is harried and dispossessed expertly by Charles. An assertive start by both teams
2 mins: Chelsea press early, and Harder forages in the inside left position and dinks a ball in for Kerr, who heads wide, having been well closed down.
1 min: And the first action sees Ji blooter a long ball straight out for a goalkick.
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Peep! And Chelsea get us under way, after a rousingly well-received taking of the knee.
Here come the teams … and they lay wreaths in the colours of the Ukraine flag on the pitch.
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Gareth Taylor speaks: “[Past defeats against Chelsea] will hopefully not be a factor – it’s been close against them lately and we’re getting closer and starting to look like the team I envisaged at the start of the season. In a final it’s about who turns up and performs best. It’s always a good tactical battle and Emma’s always one you have to try to take on, almost like a chess mach
Emma Hayes is up next, confirming Kirby’s illness and Fleming’s Covid positive: “No side is favourites today – cup finals, especially Conti Cup, have been really tough in recent years. I have looked at the pitch that will play a part,” she says, adding cryptically. “For some you could eat your dinner off it for others you can’t.” It looks long and lush.
As for Chelsea’s off-field upheaval, “We just get on with the business of football coaching and playing and let other people take care of the business of running the club.”
It might be a modest venue for a cup final to some eyes, but a sell-out 10,000 crowd is expected at Plough Lane, promising a proper atmosphere, but will it feel like a home game for Chelsea?
Another sneaky home advantage for Chelsea at Plough Lane is groundsmen. The guy who looks after Kingsmeadow (Wimbledon’s previous home) is also part of the team at Plough Lane. I don’t know his name but he’s been telling me off for standing on the grass for the last 3 years
— Flo Lloyd-Hughes (@FloydTweet) March 5, 2022
So Chelsea are without Fran Kirby, who’s not even on the bench, who’s reportedly unwell, and Jesse Fleming, who’s had a Covid positive. City line up as might be expected, with Hemp, White and Stanway as their attacking trident.
The teams
Chelsea and Man City have announced their starting lineups
#ContiCupFinal team news is in! 🙌#CFCW pic.twitter.com/C5Ko7cal5C
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) March 5, 2022
Your City XI for the #ContiCupFinal! 🏆
— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) March 5, 2022
XI | Roebuck, Bronze, Kennedy, Greenwood, Stokes, Walsh, Stanway, Weir, Raso, Hemp, White (C)
SUBS | Keating, Coombs, Beckie, Angeldahl, Park, Shaw, Blakstad#ManCity | @HaysTechnology pic.twitter.com/0XRgpCdr97
Some pre-match reading: Chelsea’s Jonna Andersson talks to Louise Taylor about what it’s like to play in Emma Hayes’s oft-rotated defensive formations, while City’s Caroline Weir talks dinks, tricks and mid-season revivals with Suzanne Wrack:
Preamble
Afternoon everyone. And welcome to the first domestic cup final of the women’s season in England, which pits a Chelsea side pursuing another treble against a Manchester City side for whom this is their best chance of silverware this campaign, as they storm back from their injury-ravaged and calamitous start to the season.
City are still a way from presenting a clean bill of health now too, with Steph Houghton missing today, and we also wait to see whether the Spain international Vicky Losada is fit after she picked up a knock in City’s 4-1 FA Cup evisceration of Manchester United last week, a victory that demonstrated the extent of their recovery from that dismal autumn. Chelsea will miss Erin Cuthbert and Melanie Leupolz but have captain Magda Eriksson available again, and it will be interesting to see whether the Abramovich uncertainty off the field at Chelsea affects their performance on it.
Remarkably, given their WSL pre-eminence, these teams have never met in a cup final. That all changes today, at Wimbledon’s neat and compact new Plough Lane stadium, the Dons having left Kingsmeadow all to Chelsea’s women last year. City have further to travel, but decent pedigree in the League Cup, having won it three times in the past nine years. Emma Hayes’s side have won it the past two years mind, and haven’t lost to City in their past 10 WSL meetings, though their most recent encounter, where Chelsea dug in for a 1-0 win, was a tense, close game of fine margins. Another absorbing encounter beckons today.
Kick-off is at 5.15pm GMT.
