Chelsea beat Manchester City 3-2 in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup Final, in front of a competition record crowd of 49,094.
A strong start from Manchester City saw Caroline Weir with a couple of opportunities, one she couldn’t keep down, the other Millie Bright blocked.
Sam Kerr had a goal ruled out for offside but did give Chelsea the lead in the 33rd minute, heading home from on the line when meeting Bright’s looping cross that beat keeper Ellie Roebuck.
Although Erin Cuthbert fired over the bar when City got themselves in a mess at the back, the scores were levelled within 10 minutes as Lauren Hemp cut inside and curled her shot inside the far post.
Ann-Katrin Berger made a good save from Hemp early in the second half and a deflected Khadija Shaw shot needed to be headed away for a corner by Bright.
Chelsea were back in front in the 63rd minute, Cuthbert’s fine strike from the edge of the box going in off the underside of the crossbar.
In the last two minutes of the ninety, Hayley Raso took down a ball from Alex Greenwood under pressure and fired Manchester City back on level terms.
Chelsea lost possession playing out from the back but Jess Carter got a crucial touch as Ellen White tried to beat Berger to the ball.
It was a City error that led to the fifth goal in the 99th minute, Alanna Kennedy’s misjudgement allowing Kerr to race toward the box, her strike deflected off Greenwood inside the near post.
