That’s it from me. I’ll leave you with Suzanne Wrack’s report from Meadow Park. Bye!
Emma Hayes’ post-match thoughts
“We were horrific in the first 20 minutes, we didn’t get our legs going. But once we executed our gameplan we stifled them and they struggled. The goal came at the right time, and by the end I thought we completely dominated.
“You never know what you’re going to get after international breaks, and at the start it was like we had lead in our legs. Defensively we were solid and that’s our foundation; that’s what keeps us in competitions.
“This result doesn’t have any impact on the title race. We’re in the final, that’s all it means. I don’t care who we play – we’re there, that’s the main thing. Two world-class teams.”
Here’s the second goal from Ji
Admire it. 🚀 #WomensFACup
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) April 17, 2022
pic.twitter.com/gAKREu9UgB
The player of the match is Aniek Nouwen
“The second half was amazing. We struggled a bit in the first half but the manager told us to keep going and to fight for everything. It was nice to play against Viv – we had to fight but I enjoy games like that. Give me more of them!”
Full time: Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea
Peep peep! The holders Chelsea will play Manchester City in the FA Cup final after a dominant second-half performance at Meadow Park. The first 45 minutes were uneventful, but Chelsea took control after the break and won through superb goals from Guro Reiten and Ji So-yun. By the end, Arsenal were well beaten.
90+1 min Three minutes of added time.
89 min Mead’s driven cross from the left is headed wide from a tight angle by Parris. That was a decent chance to give Arsenal a bit of hope.
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88 min England has another shot blocked, and then McCabe takes out Reiten in her followthrough after clearing the ball. Arsenal have been well beaten.
87 min Nouwen’s up and under is controlled beautifully by England, just outside the area, and then she cuts across a fine shot that just clears the crossbar. Zinsberger was beaten.
84 min England is fouled by Catley on the right wing. Reiten curls the free-kick in, Parris heads it away.
81 min Miedema has a shot blocked by Nouwen. Arsenal are running out of time.
79 min Another change for Chelsea. The excellent Ji, who scored the second goal, is replaced by Jessie Fleming.
75 min Arsenal can’t generate any attacking momentum. Chelsea have done a number on them in the second half.
72 min Chelsea also make a change: Pernille Harder on, Sam Kerr off.
71 min A double change for Arsenal: Nikita Parris and Tobin Heath come on for Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord.
69 min Arsenal are all over the show. Wubben-Moy tries to dribble out of her own area and is robbed by England. She diverts the ball to Ingle, whose snapshot is pushed away dramatically by the diving Zinsberger, and Ji puts the rebound just wide.
67 min The resulting corner is headed well wide by the under-pressure Kerr. Chelsea have been much the better side since half-time.
66 min Chelsea almost make it 3-0 on the break. Ji plays a good pass into Reiten on the edge of the D; she turns and curls a decent shot that is pushed round the post by the diving Zinsberger.
65 min Cuthbert is booked for a foul on Foord.
64 min A change for Arsenal: Frida Maanum replaces Lia Walti in midfield.
Arsenal got in a bit of a mess defensively, with Wubben-Moy’s panicky clearance ricocheting off Kerr. Ji collected the ball on the edge of the area, moved it away from Walti and then spanked it in off the underside of the bar.
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GOAL! Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea (Ji 61)
Ji makes it two with another cracking strike!
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58 min: Fine save from Zinsberger! Chelsea are looking dangerous now. A long throw from the left bounced favourably for England, who held off Wubben-Moy and drove a low shot from 12 yards that was pushed round the near post by the diving Zinsberger. That’s a really smart save.
57 min Here’s Reiten’s goal, floated beautifully over Zinsberger.
You don't give @guro_reiten and her left foot that much space on the edge of the box 💥#WomensFACup @ChelseaFCW pic.twitter.com/rTX3HQyESB
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) April 17, 2022
54 min Cuthbert shoots wide from long range.
53 min That was such a good finish, though Arsenal will be unhappy with their defending. Nobody went out to Reiten, who had time to pick her spot in the far corner.
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Reiten received the ball 30 yards from goal, realised nobody was coming to challenge her and pushed the ball forward to the edge of the D. Then she opened her body to float a lovely curling shot that beat the leaping Zinsberger and nestled in the far corner.
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GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea (Reiten 50)
Guro Reiten gives Chelsea the lead with a majestic goal!
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49 min: Just wide from Mead! That was so close to the opening goal. Catley’s flat cross from the left was controlled beautifully by Mead, who turned Nouwen elegantly and drove the ball just wide from eight yards. Having done the hard bit with the control and turn, she probably should hve scored.
47 min Mead is booked for a high challenge on Carter.
46 mim Peep peep! Arsenal begin the second half, with no changes on either side.
Half time: Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea
Let us never speak of that first half again. It was tense, cautious and surprisingly low in quality. But I swear, by the moon and the stars in the sky, that the second half will be better.
45 min A poor ball from Williamson is intercepted by England. She feeds it into Kerr, whose heavy touch allows Williamson to clear. That was a chance. Moments later, Ji’s dangerous cross is headed behind for a corner by Wubben-Moy.
41 min McCabe’s long throw bounces off Mead (I think) and behind for a goalkick. This isn’t great, even if the tension is understandable.
38 min Reiten’s hanging cross is only partially cleared by Catley at the far post. Charles picks up the ball and drags a left-footed shot from 15 yards that is comfortably saved to her left by Zinsberger.
36 min Ingle’s booming long-range shot is headed away by Williamson.
34 min The cautious nature of the game reflects the respect these sides have for each other. There have been few clear chances, just one for Blackstenius in fact.
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30 min Ji is penalised for holding Walti, who had just given the ball away to Kerr on the edge of the area. It probably was a foul, and there were no complaints from Ji.
27 min Here’s that effort from Miedema in the 20th minute.
Close from @VivianneMiedema! 😮#WomensFACup @ArsenalWFC pic.twitter.com/tm4XgTvGTA
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) April 17, 2022
25 min After good pressing from Cuthbert, England’s long-range shot is comfortably saved by Zinsberger.
Chelsea pressing in that usual box shape they use, with Cuthbert and Ji behind England and Kerr. Difficult to play through.
— Tim Stillman (@Stillberto) April 17, 2022
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24 min It’s still very cagey. The first goal is always important, but today it feels especially so.
20 min Out of nothing, Miedema charges to within 20 yards of goal and whistles a rising drive just over the bar. That was a lovely effort.
19 min It’s all a bit cagey. Arsenal have been the better team, though there isn’t a huge amount in it.
17 min Reiten’s angled through ball is just too heavy for Kerr, who tries to control it with her head but can only put it behind for a goalkick.
16 min A better attack from Chelsea. Ji runs at a backpedalling defence and finds Reiten in space on the left side of the area. Her floated cross is headed away at the near post by Williamson.
13 min Blackstenius skins Nouwen on the left side of the box but then makes a mess of a relatively straightforward cutback to Miedema. That was an excellent opportunity for Arsenal.
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12 min McCabe and Mead combine nicely to release Mead, whose low cross is blocked by Charles.
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10 min Chelsea haven’t really got going yet. The last few minutes have been fairly scrappy.
6 min England is fine. Beth England, that is.
4 min Williamson’s shot smacks England straight in the face, and there’s a break in play while she receives treatment.
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3 min It’s been a really good start from Arsenal. Mead runs onto a long ball, slithers away from Carter in the area and is about to shoot when Bright pokes the ball behind for a corner. Actually Carter did well too, getting a slight touch on the ball just before Bright’s clearance.
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3 min “It’s hardly their fault,” says Charles Antaki, “but it falls to the Arsenal women to salvage some pride for the club – though to be sure they’ve had one or two shockers themselves this season, not excluding losing 2-0 to a club which is on the point of being relegated. Unfortunately they’re up against probably the better side, so expectations hovering around the so-so level.”
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2 min Foord twists Bright inside out on the left of the area and wins a corner. It’s taken short, driven to the far post and headed away by Kerr.
1 min Peep peep! Chelsea kick off from right to left.
Apparently Magda Eriksson has been unwell, which is why she’s only on the bench.
A reminder of the teams
Arsenal (possible 4-3-3) Zinsberger; McCabe, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, Catley; Walti, Little, Miedema; Mead, Blackstenius, Foord.
Substitutes: Williams, Beattie, Maritz, Wienroither, Nobbs, Maanum, Iwabuchi, Heath, Parris.
Chelsea (possible 3-1-4-2) Berger; Bright, Nouwen, Carter; Ingle; Charles, Cuthbert, Ji, Reiten; Kerr, England.
Substitutes: Musovic, Eriksson, Fleming, Mjelde, Harder, Spence, Andersson, Abudllina.
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“G’day Rob,” writes Shaun Williams. “Quick shout out to other Aussies wishing to watch the Matilda Ladies in both teams; looks the game is live streaming on the FAPlayer app for free (free sign up required).”
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Some more pre-match reading
Team news
Arsenal make one change from the side that hammered Leicester last weekend, with Steph Catley replacing Laura Wienroither in defence. That probably means a switch to right-back for Katie McCabe.
⚪️🔴 ARSENAL TEAM NEWS 🔴⚪️@VitalityWFACup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YFSwKw1iLO
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) April 17, 2022
Emma Hayes makes three changes to the Chelsea side that won equally comfortably against Reading a week ago. Ann-Katrin Berger, Ji So-Yun and Niamh Charles replace Zecira Musovic, Magda Eriksson and Jessie Fleming. It’s a surprise to see Eriksson, in particular, on the bench.
Your starting XI today! 🤝#WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/ASZVdu1aaR
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) April 17, 2022
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Chelsea will be without their little superstar Fran Kirby, who has been suffering from severe fatigue. It’s a sad and troubling story.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Chelsea at a sold-out Meadow Park. This is about as moutwatering as it gets: a repeat of last season’s final, and a meeting of the top two in the WSL.
Arsenal have home advantage, but Chelsea will have the happiest memories of hammering Arsenal 3-0 at Wembley in December. (That game, the 2020-21 final, was delayed because of Covid.) One of these teams will be back at Wembley next month to face Manchester City in an equally mouthwatering final.
Chelsea are slight favourites, despite being away from home, but really it’s too close to call. Don’t be surprised if it goes to extra-time, maybe even penalties.
Kick off 12.30pm.
Who will be joining @ManCityWomen in the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣ #WomensFACupFinal?
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) April 17, 2022
🔴 @ArsenalWFC 🆚 @ChelseaFCW 🔵 pic.twitter.com/ssrZ1oPcnb
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