We will never know where the women’s game would be now had the men of the Football Association not banned females from playing the game a century ago, but on the 100th anniversary of that decision it was clear at Wembley on Sunday that the sport is swiftly making up lost ground.
To any newcomers tuning into the game, this would have appeared a perfectly typical top-level match. Two established rivals, Arsenal and Chelsea, full of internationals from around the globe, looking very much at home on the famous turf and, ultimately, as so often these days when the two meet, Chelsea winning.
The Gunners, like most opponents, had no answer for the “Kerr-by” combination of Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby, who twice and once, respectively, scored as Chelsea lifted the cup for the third time in seven seasons. It was a deserved result and the scoreline would have been heavier had it not been for Arsenal keeper Manuela Zinsberger.
Arsenal went into the final leading the WSL and with the fillip of their opening day win over Chelsea at the Emirates. However, the west London team were understrength that day and there has been a sense in recent weeks that the momentum has been shifting towards them.
Though Pernille Harder was fit only for a place on the bench, Kerr started despite her late midweek return from two matches in Australia. Arsenal left Jordan Nobbs on the bench and were without the injured Leah Williamson.
It was immediately clear that her calming presence was missed as Chelsea took a quick lead. Barely two minutes had elapsed when Kerr attempted to flick the ball through for Kirby and it bounced off Frida Maanum into her path, much as the Australian had hoped.
Given the form Kirby is in, there was only one outcome and it could have been two-nil had Kerr been as sharp four minutes later. Released via a slick one-two with Kirby, she shot too close to Zinsberger, allowing the Austrian to deny her.
The movement of Kirby and Kerr was tearing Arsenal apart, and with Chelsea dominating the midfield there were plenty of opportunities for them to inflict further damage.
However, Zinsberger denied Kirby twice more in the half and, with the crossbar coming to the rescue when Kerr did beat her, Arsenal went into the break still in the game.
With Vivianne Miedeman well-shackled, Beth Mead’s dancing feet looked most likely to open Chelsea up and, but for a fine tackle by Jess Carter early in the second period, may well have done so. That proved Arsenal’s last chance as, just before the hour, Kerr finally got her goal, the first by an Australian in the final since Kristy Moore for Fulham in 2003. Kirby – who else? – released her and she advanced on Lotte Wubben-Moy, turned her inside out, then shot through her legs, wrongfooting Zinsberger.
Arsenal kept pressing but were vulnerable on the break and it was now a matter of how many.
Kirby struck the post after 72 minutes before departing, having received some rough treatment. That brought no relief for Arsenal’s beleaguered defence as it meant Harder came on and she immediately ran though them, almost setting up another chance for Kerr.
Not that the Australian would be denied for long. Now brimming with confidence, she ran on to a long ball before beating Zinsberger with a sublime chip.
Kerr departed to a standing ovation as Chelsea made a trio of changes. Rubbing home the depth of their squad among the subs was Ji So-yun, one of the stand-out WSL players of the last decade.
Watching all this, with presumably a mix of emotions ranging from pride and joy to perhaps a tinge of envy, were many of the captains of the teams that played in the previous 49 finals. The captains in the first final, Lesley Lloyd (Southampton) and Elsie Cook (Stewarton Thistle), had carried the FA Cup trophy out before the match, the expressions on their faces a joy.
It has been a long road here, from the ban in 1921, the late 60s push to be legalised, recognition and the launch of this competition in 1971, and so on. Now, two women’s teams can thrill a 40,000-plus audience at Wembley on a cold December day and – were it not for the fact this is an anniversary – their gender would barely be worth a mention.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3lD9mCv
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