Manchester City knocked Arsenal out of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, both Southampton and Wolves equalised before Manchester United and Brighton respectively progressed.
Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City (Att: 3,496)
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-4 Brighton & Hove Albion (Att: 1,812)
London City Lionesses 0-2 Liverpool
Southampton 1-3 Manchester United (Att: 4,554)
Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace (Att: 2,992)
Nottingham Forest 1-7 Everton (Att: 1,100)
Manchester City survived some intense late pressure from Arsenal to make the last eight. Successive second-half corners saw Khadija Shaw headers kept out by a save from Sabrina D’Angelo and goal-line clearance from Leah Williamson. A 74th-minute City free kick fell in the six-yard box for Laia Aleixandri to stab home. Arsenal’s Emily Fox had an effort deflected narrowly wide, Khiara Keating tipped a stoppage-time Victoria Pelova header round the post and Kim Little’s strike over the bar, before later catching the ball at the second attempt on the line.
Wolves nearly took Brighton – from two divisions above them – to extra time, until a super-sub’s very late hat-trick. Katie Robinson gave Brighton a half-time advantage, netting four minutes before the break. Wolves equalised from a 66th-minute penalty, netted by Beth Merrick past Sophie Baggaley. With the match seemingly headed for extra-time, Emma Kullberg came off the bench and settled the game for Brighton with a swift hat-trick.
Managerless London City Lionesses lost out to Liverpool, with the higher division side scoring once in either half. Sophie Roman Haug took just six minutes to open the scoring for the visitors. Jenna Clark headed against the crossbar for the Reds, later in the first half. Matt Beard’s side eventually doubled their lead through Melissa Lawley, with a shot in off the underside of the bar.
Championship side Southampton pegged Manchester United back before Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side bowed out. Ella Toone gave United a seventh-minute lead but substitute Lexi Lloyd-Smith drew the Saints level after 65 minutes, her effort from wide right finding the far corner of the net. Within ten minutes Manchester United regained the lead, their own super-sub Rachel Williams with a far-post header from Leah Galton’s cross. Williams got her second, with the referee deciding the ball had crossed the line. Saints nearly got a second in stoppage-time but Lucia Kendall hit the post and the rebound beat Milly Mott.
Chelsea struggled to see off second-tier Crystal Palace until they forced a late goal. Mayra Ramirez hit the bar from a Guro Reiten cross, with Ashley Lawrence getting the ball in the Palace net but offside was given. Chelsea finally made the breakthrough with about ten minutes to go, Ramirez with a clever flick past keeper Demi Lambourne from Lawrence’s delivery.
FA WNL title-chasers Nottingham Forest were eliminated by WSL opponents in Everton. Arsenal loanee Kathrine Kuhl won possession and chipped keeper Emily Batty for Everton’s opener, Martina Piemonte doubled the lead before half time. Three minutes after the restart, Charlotte Greengrass beat keeper Courtney Brosnan to the ball, to get Forest back in the tie. The Toffees did not take long to restore their two-goal cushion, as Justine Vanhaevermaet turned the ball in via a corner. A shot from Kuhl came back off the post and went in off Batty, Emma Bissell got the final touch for the fifth, Toni Duggan slotted in a penalty and Hanna Bennison struck in added time.
I think we might need some sauce to go with that chip… 😮💨🍟#AdobeWomensFACup pic.twitter.com/yl4bbDCRdp
— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) February 11, 2024
The quarter-final draw is being made live on BBC 1 on Monday 12 February, during The One Show at 7.20pm.
