Easter Monday 17th April
SSE WOMEN’S FA CUP SEMI-FINALS
Birmingham City 1-1 Chelsea (aet, Birmingham won 4-2 on pens) (Att: 1,425)
Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool (Att: 3,459)
White Penalty Has Birmingham Wembley-bound
Ellen White kept her cool to convert the winning penalty after Aoife Mannion, Sarah Mayling and Kerys Harrop had all scored in the shoot-out.
It was heartbreak for Chelsea, for whom Eni Aluko’s penalty was pushed on to the post by Ann-Katrin Berger, who also denied Millie Bright – having already kept out two efforts from Ramona Bachmann in extra time.
In normal time, Hannah Blundell had the best chance of the first half for the visitors but blazed over from close range after great work by Karen Carney and Claire Rafferty.
Paige Williams then came within a whisker of putting the hosts ahead in the 52nd minute when her inswinging free kick went inches wide of the far post.
However, the home team were ahead when Meaghan Sargeant thumped home a header from Sarah Mayling’s inviting corner from the left.
Chelsea pressure paid off when Drew Spence thumped a brilliant 22-yard strike into the top right corner in the 88th minute.
Williams almost won the tie for Blues in the 4th minute of added time in normal time when her corner was headed off the line.
Thirty minutes of tension-filled extra time then failed to separate the sides, but it was City who held their nerve on penalties to send home supporters into raptures.
Source – birminghamcityladiesfc.co.uk
Pictured top – Birmingham City celebrate Ellen White’s winning penalty
Lawley’s Strike Sends Man City To First FA Cup Final
Melissa Lawley fires Manchester City ahead.
Melissa Lawley’s strike was enough for Manchester City to beat Liverpool and book their place in the SSE Women’s FA Cup final.
City can win five trophies in the next nine months, but they did not have it all their own way against an impressive and resilient Liverpool side.
However, Lawley fired home in the second half to set up a date at Wembley.
In a scrappy first half, Liverpool nearly found themselves ahead in the second minute as Kate Longhurst’s cross hit the post with goalkeeper Karen Bardsley beaten.
The home side gained the initiative thereafter, Lawley had space in the box but she shot straight at Siobhan Chamberlain.
Lucy Bronze was facing her old side, and she saw her goal-bound effort blocked by Gemma Bonner after 20 minutes as the home enjoyed the majority of possession.
Liverpool were holding firm however, and Tash Harding found Katie Zelem on the counter-attack, but her effort was well blocked just before the break.
Liverpool sat deep and invited pressure, and only minutes later were they behind, as Lawley’s struck hard and low and into the net from 20 yards.
City were rampant, and nearly added a second shortly after; Carli Lloyd had time to turn in the area, but the American’s shot was comfortable for Chamberlain.
Lloyd again went close on 74 minutes, heading over from a Lawley’s free kick.
Tash Harding’s strike in added time was as close as Liverpool came, before Lloyd nearly wrapped it up for City with a fine strike from 20 yards which flashed wide.
Source – TheFA.com
Photos: The FA via Getty Images
