THE SSE WOMEN’S FA CUP
SEMI-FINALS
SUNDAY APRIL 17TH 2PM
WINNERS TO RECEIVE £2,000
Arsenal v Sunderland
Chelsea v Manchester City
Manchester City will be on a revenge mission when they face Chelsea in the SSE Women’s FA Cup semi-finals, whose other tie sees Arsenal take on Sunderland writes TONY LEIGHTON.
City were knocked out in the semis of last year’s competition by Chelsea, who went on to lift the trophy at Wembley with a 1-0 win against Notts County.
Missing out on the big occasion hurt the City girls, says defender Demi Stokes, but that will only spur them on when they visit Blues on Sunday 17 April.
“Keeping hold of the Cup will be a big incentive for Chelsea,” said Stokes, “but we’ve got a massive incentive after losing to them in last year’s semi.
“We wanted it to be us stepping out there at Wembley, but it wasn’t to be – now we’ve got another chance and we’re determined to take it.”
Stokes has played in just one FA Cup final, for Sunderland against Arsenal in 2009, so she’s a novice compared to Chelsea’s Gilly Flaherty.
Last year’s Wembley triumph was Flaherty’s first with Blues, but she had already collected five FA Cup winners’ medals with her previous club Arsenal.
Not that she is in any way blasé about her medals haul. “I go into every season as though I haven’t got any medals at all,” said the defender.
“I’m still as hungry as I ever was and I want to win the Cup again this year, not for myself but for the girls around me, for the club and our supporters.
“It’s going to be a very tough semi-final, but we’ll have home advantage and our fans will be urging us on – and we’ll be aiming to book another trip to Wembley.”
Victory for Chelsea could see them up against Flaherty’s old club in the final, but Sunderland goalkeeper Rachael Laws will be out to prevent that scenario.
Laws was on the Sunderland bench in 2009 when they lost 2-1 to the Gunners in the FA final, the only one in which the Black Cats have so far competed.
They were underdogs then and will be again on 17 April, but they will travel south feeling that they can buck the odds and reach the final.
Laws said: “That 2009 final was in the era when Arsenal won everything, so although we lost it was a great experience and we could hold our heads high.
“We’ll be underdogs again this time, but we’ll go down there with the right mentality and a good game plan – and if we execute it well we can get through.”
Sunderland’s game plan will probably not be to take the semi-final to extra time and penalties, but don’t be surprised if the tie works out that way.
Arsenal have needed a shoot-out to come through every round to date this season, and right back Alex Scott is hoping it doesn’t again come to penalties.
“Winning on penalties isn’t the best way to go through,” said Scott. “It’s nerve-wracking to say the least and hopefully we can do it this time in 90 minutes.
“But I won’t expect anything but a hard game from Sunderland, who have come on really well in recent years and had a great 2015 Super League season.
“They’ll be tough opponents, but we’ve won the FA Cup so many times and we want to get our hands on it again – and to do it at Wembley would be fantastic!”
