On another day of seismic change, one thing remains the same: Chelsea and Sam Kerr are inevitable. In all honesty, did anyone expect this Women’s FA Cup final to unfold any differently? Even as Manchester United created a series of half-chances and nearly-moments, the only team looking like scoring, Chelsea barely flinched. It was all in the plan and, as Pernille Harder was brought from the bench, an approach from Emma Hayes that could have so easily backfired suddenly looked obvious. Harder changed the game, but Kerr – who else – won it for Chelsea. The striker scored for the sixth cup final in a row and, for the third consecutive season, won Chelsea the FA Cup at Wembley.
And so on a historic day, in front of a world-record crowd for a women’s domestic match, the outcome became somewhat routine. Not that Chelsea will care. For the best part of 55 minutes, there was only one team at Wembley who appeared as if they wanted to win this cup final, and it wasn’t the one who are now halfway to completing yet another double. Chelsea like to suffer – Hayes demands it from her players – and these serial champions don’t at all care if it means you suffer too. There were no guarantees that a historic final would be enjoyable. That isn’t really Chelsea’s job.
