Chelsea retained the Women's FA Cup after a narrow 1-0 win over Man Utd at Wembley in front of a world-record crowd.
Sam Kerr's close-range finish in the 68th minute proved the difference, with the attendance of 77,390 fans a world record for a domestic women's fixture. United were the better team for large spells of the showpiece final but Marc Skinner's side failed to make their chances count.
Leah Galton had the ball in the net after just 20 seconds, only for the offside flag to intervene, while Nikita Parris, Millie Turner and Alessia Russo forced good saves from Ann-Katrin Berger. But Kerr's moment of quality proved the difference for Emma Hayes' team, who saw out the game comfortably. Chelsea can now make it a league and cup double if they win their remaining three WSL games over the next fortnight.
Here are the big talking points from Wembley.
Kerr's killer instinct provides the difference
For so much of this game, Chelsea had struggled to build up any momentum. But as they have done all season, the cup holders came alive when it mattered most.
Having barely test Mary Earps all day, it was their Aussie superstar who again provided the final touch, after excellent play from substitute Pernille Harder. A clever ball from Guro Reiten gave Harder space in the box and her cross found Kerr only a few yards out.
The forward's trademark acrobatics came out in the celebrations as the Blue half of Wembley erupted, the Aussie once again demonstrating how the big players turn up at the big moments. In a week where her Football Writers Player of the Year award was widely questioned on social media, Kerr again showed why she is Chelsea's game changer.
United faster out of the traps
As underdogs, it was imperative to United they came out of the traps fast. And they very nearly had a dream start on their first trip to Wembley.
After just twenty seconds one of their players of the season, Leah Galton spun and fired past Ann-Katrin Berger. The red half of Wembley erupted, but Ella Toone was narrowly offside in the build-up, cutting United's joy short.
Toone also tested Berger just minutes later as Chelsea looked spooked, with Nikita Parris also forcing a smart save from Berger. Only after a stoppage due to an early Melanie Leupolz injury did Hayes' side begin to regroup.
Chelsea now have double firmly in their sights
Like London rivals Arsenal, Chelsea have been badly hit by injuries for much of this season. But as we approach the final hurdles of the campaign the Blues have, once again, come good down the home straight.
Today's win not only gives them a first trophy of the season and banishes the memory of their Conti Cup final defeat to Arsenal, it may also swing momentum in the title race. Hayes' side will retain the league as well as the cup, should they win their remaining three WSL fixtures.
Next week's game against Arsenal looked a tough ask, but confidence and belief amongst the group should now be sky high. By contrast, United will have to pick themselves up for a huge derby against Man City, knowing they may have already blown their best chance of a trophy. But for Chelsea, the 'triple double' is now very much on.
Reiten versus Batlle showdown provides intriguing sub-plot
Two of the most consistent players in the WSL were directly against one another with United full-back One Batlle and Chelsea's wide forward Guro Reiten squaring off down the wing. It was arguably the most important one-on-one battle in the entire game.
The Spaniard had the better of it in the first half, charging into the large open spaces of Wembley turf like her life depended on it. Reiten rarely has a quiet game for the Blues but was anonymous in the first 45 minutes, with Chelsea struggling to create.
But when given only half a yard of room in the 68th minute, it was Reiten's perfect pass that unlocked the United back four, allowing Harder and Kerr to do the rest. Batlle won her fair share of tussles throughout the day but the Dane won the war thanks to one moment of magic.
Big game atmosphere shows the real growth of the game
While the Lionesses selling out Wembley has become the norm in the past 12 months, today marked the first time the Women's FA Cup Final had attracted over 50,000 fans. 77,390 fans packed inside the national stadium, a record for a women's club match in the UK, and the atmosphere was charged from the word go.
For all the talk of United's small allocation, their fans were loud and proud from the off, while Chelsea came in their usual big numbers. Seeing the national team attract support is all well and good, but to see such a large, passionate crowd for a domestic game felt like true progress.
Don't be surprised if this becomes the norm for this particular fixture in years to come.
NEW! Our Year: European Champions 2022 - The Official England Winners Book
With a foreword by England manager Sarina Wiegman, this is the only official book of the historic triumph, reliving every kick of a thrilling tournament and telling the stories of the players who made it all happen.
Order from https://reachsportshop.com/book/our-year-european-champion-2022/
