Chelsea edged past Aston Villa in a tense semi-final to set up a Vitality Women’s FA Cup Final clash with Manchester United.
Lauren James went very close with one of her three first-half chances for Chelsea, Villa’s Lucy Staniforth brought a flying catch out of Zećira Mušović.
Eve Perisset could have given the visitors the lead right on half time but shot over the bar when well placed.
Only 15 seconds after the restart Chelsea’s Jelena Čanković hit the post, then Sarah Mayling’s cross at the other end landed on the roof of the net.
Moments after Aleisha Lehmann found the side-netting for Villa, Sam Kerr headed home Guro Reiten’s cross to give Chelsea the lead.
Inside the last ten minutes Mayling hit the foot of the Chelsea upright but Emma Hayes’ survived a testing second-half.
