Arsenal retained the Conti Cup with a 1-0 victory towards Chelsea after extra-time at Molineux on Sunday.
The Blues had been dealt a third-successive Conti Cup remaining loss and had been unable to avenge final 12 months’s defeat to the Gunners at Selhurst Park, guaranteeing Emma Hayes will not log out as supervisor with a quadruple.
The sport was marred by Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum collapsing with nobody round her deep into second-half added time, with a prolonged stoppage required to present her medical consideration after which take away her from the pitch. She is now steady and aware.
How the sport unfolded
Chelsea went near taking an early lead when Lauren James beat Leah Williamson to a free ball and made a dart into the 18-yard field, forcing a save out of Manuela Zinsberger on the close to put up.
With their subsequent significant assault, the Blues thought they went in entrance. Hannah Hampton’s lengthy kick ahead was by no means correctly handled by Arsenal, and Erin Cuthbert teed up Mayra Ramirez to fireside in from simply exterior the field. Nonetheless, Cuthbert dealt with the ball within the construct up and the objective was chalked off.
That disallowed objective appeared to kick Arsenal into life, with Hampton compelled right into a string of superb saves, together with one to disclaim Katie McCabe’s 25-yard piledriver. From the ensuing nook, Lotte Wubben-Moy fired a fierce half-volley narrowly extensive.
The ultimate turned a lot cagier after the break, with neither aspect creating one other opening till the 66th minute when Cloe Lacasse compelled a low save out of Hampton on the finish of a fast Arsenal break.
With 5 minutes remaining, Zinsberger got here up with one other high cease to maintain out James after being freed in behind by Guro Reiten, with the Arsenal goalkeeper this time getting down low to disclaim the mercurial ahead.
The match went to extra-time following an prolonged interval of added time on the finish of the second half after medical workers tended to Maanum after falling sick.
Katie McCabe spurned an important probability to nod Arsenal forward in direction of the top of extra-time’s first half, heading extensive from a beautiful Steph Catley cross.
Nearly straight from kick-off for the second half Stina Blackstenius lashed over a half-volley from the sting of the field.
Kadeisha Buchanan then produced a shocking block to disclaim Caitlin Foord after she drove away from Jess Carter and went for the close to put up of Hampton’s objective.
With penalties looming, Arsenal snatched the victory. Foord once more ghosted in from the left and reduce for Blackstenius, who this time bundled away from Cuthbert and made no mistake, discovering the underside nook and profitable the cup.
GK: Manuela Zinsberger – 7/10 – A much-improved efficiency than in her most up-to-date displaying towards Chelsea, thwarting the advances of James and co.
RB: Emily Fox – 7/10 – Excelled at each ends of the pitch and Arsenal wanted her dynamism to remain afloat.
CB: Leah Williamson – 5/10 – Did not look too snug in her one half of motion and was introduced off at half-time.
CB: Lotte Wubben-Moy – 8/10 – A correct, correct centre-back’s efficiency. Stepped up when Arsenal had been wilting early on and offered them the bottom for victory.
LB: Katie McCabe – 5/10 – Was unable to get entangled quite a bit till in a while within the recreation when she was afforded extra probabilities to get ahead, skewing a header extensive along with her remaining motion on the pitch.
CM: Kim Little – 6/10 – Adventured ahead once in a while however was slightly extra reserved than common.
CM: Victoria Pelova – 7/10 – Likewise was tasked with sustaining stability within the center but additionally dug in defensively and Arsenal benefitted for this selflessness.
RW: Beth Mead – 5/10 – Did not make a lot of a tangible impression up towards one of many best possible round in Charles.
AM: Frida Maanum – 7/10 – One of many remaining’s geniuses previous to collapsing late within the second half.
LW: Cloe Lacasse – 6/10 – Proved a helpful risk on the counter however lacked the scientific edge Arsenal had been sorely missing in her 72 minutes on the pitch.
CF: Stina Blackstenius – 8/10 – By no means relented and ultimately discovered her simply reward for a powerful and tireless show.
Substitutes
SUB: Laia Codina (46′ for Williamson) – 6/10 – Arsenal regarded extra settled after Codina’s introduction however this appeared to be right down to the pure circulate of the sport.
SUB: Caitlin Foord (72′ for Lacasse) – 8/10
SUB: Steph Catley (84′ for Mead) – 7/10
SUB: Alessia Russo (90′ for Maanum) – 6/10
SUB: Kyra Cooney-Cross (106′ for McCabe) – 7/10
Subs not used: Sabrina D’Angelo (GK), Naomi Williams (GK), Laura Wienroither,Vivienne Lia
Supervisor
Jonas Eidevall – 8/10 – Arsenal regarded streets forward of the sorry group that rocked as much as Chelsea just a few weeks in the past. A real cup-final efficiency.
GK: Hannah Hampton – 7/10 – Needed to produce a number of superb saves to maintain Arsenal at bay however her efforts proved futile ultimately.
RB: Eve Perisset – 5/10 – Arsenal had a number of pleasure getting in down Perisset’s flank, with the profitable objective ultimately coming from that aspect.
CB: Jess Carter – 6/10 – Defended properly for probably the most half however misplaced her authority as an extended match wore on.
CB: Kadeisha Buchanan – 7/10 – Chelsea wanted Buchanan to give you a sequence of blocks and tackles to take the sport so far as they did.
LB: Niamh Charles – 7/10 – Took Mead out of the sport however had a more durable job as soon as Arsenal threw a number of recent faces at her.
CM: Erin Cuthbert – 5/10 – Performed her common recreation however finally value Chelsea with the handball for the disallowed objective and was then outmuscled by Blackstenius for the decider.
CM: Melanie Leupolz – 6/10 – Started the day brightly however pale fairly shortly as soon as Arsenal wrestled again management.
RW: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd – 6/10 – Carved out a couple of openings down the correct earlier than Chelsea had been smothered.
AM: Sjoeke Nusken – 5/10 – Proved ever so decisive when these two sides met lately at Stamford Bridge however discovered it more durable to stamp her authority on this encounter.
LW: Lauren James – 6/10 – Chelsea’s fundamental supply of inspiration, although was unable to give you a telling objective for her efforts.
CF: Mayra Ramirez – 5/10 – Cruelly denied a shocking opener, however that was the one notable time she bought concerned in a decent and nervy recreation.
Substitutes
SUB: Guro Reiten (76′ for Ramirez) – 6/10
SUB: Catarina Macario (96′ for Nusken) – 6/10
SUB: Aggie Beever-Jones (119′ for James) – N/A
Subs not used: Zecira Musovic (GK), Ann-Katrin Berger (GK), Sophie Ingle, Ashley Lawrence, Fran Kirby, Maika Hamano
Supervisor
Emma Hayes – 5/10 – Chelsea ought to have taken benefit of their early dominance and had been made to pay for missing bravery as the sport progressed.
Participant of the match – Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal)
