Chelsea
Ladies won the Women's FA Cup for the first time in their history by beating
Notts County Ladies 1-0 in the final in front of a record crowd at Wembley.
The decisive moment on Saturday came 10 minutes before half-time, when
player-of-the-match Eniola Aluko caused panic in the Notts County defence,
driving into the box before finding the run of Ji So-Yun.
South Korea midfielder, and current PFA Women's Player of the Year, Ji duly
made history by instinctively poking the ball into the net, to score the
winning goal in the first ever Women's FA Cup final to be played at the
national stadium.
Despite a minor County resurgence in the second half, Chelsea were
comfortable and deserved winners of the game, which was played in front of
30,701 fans.
But it took until the half-hour mark for them to create the first real
chance of the game, when Aluko’s pace and guile – so effective throughout –
put her in behind the Notts defence and beyond ‘keeper Carly Telford, but
the England international could only hit the side-netting form a tight
angle.
Five minutes later, Aluko did hit the target after cleverly carving out some
space just inside the penalty area before unleashing a stinging strike
directly at Telford.
Notts had barely seen another touch of the ball before Aluko ghosted into
the box once more, this time whipping a teasing cross from the left on to
the stretched leg of Gemma Davison, whose volley flew inches wide of the
post.
A relentless ten minute spell from Chelsea and Aluko finally produced the
goal they deserved when the 28-year-old jinked into the area and played in
Ji, who couldn’t miss from close range following a fortunate rebound off
Telford.
Notts manager Rick Passmoor was forced to make changes, although few
expected him to replace England forward Rachel Williams with Dunia Susi
after just ten minutes of the second half.
But Susi’s positive presence in the midfield helped them play their way back
into the game and threaten through a series of set-pieces.
The first of two dangerous corners fell to Desiree Scott on the edge of the
area, but her sweetly-struck half volley was deflected just wide off the
head of Gilly Flaherty.
Notts County again went close to an equaliser from the resulting corner as
Leanne Crichton rose highest at the near post, but her header was cleared on
the line by Davison.
With Notts pressing, Chelsea began to enjoy the extra space afforded to them
and looked increasingly likely to score on the counter.
Aluko went close to doubling their advantage when she fired a low
right-footed shot across goal, but Telford did well to get down to her right
to deny Aluko the goal her performance deserved, and push the ball away from
lurking Chelsea attackers hoping for a rebound.
An unmarked Flaherty should have sealed the win for Chelsea with 15 minutes
remaining, but her flick from the edge of the six-yard box after a goalmouth
scramble floated over the bar.
The miss did not prove to be a costly one, however, as Chelsea eased to
their first ever Women's FA Cup win.
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