Women’s FA Cup Final: Everton 1-3 Manchester City AET

Overtime goals by Georgia Stanway and Janine Beckie resolved a grand Women’s FA Cup final as Manchester City finally beat Everton at Wembley to lift the trophy for the third time.

American midfielder Sam Mewis had deservedly nodded to City off Alex Greenwood’s corner shortly before half-time, but France’s Valerie Gauvin headed in from Izzy Christiansen’s second-half corner as Everton fought back.

Played without fans at Wembley amid ongoing coronavirus restrictions, the contest was the closest the women’s final has seen since it was first played at the home of English football in 2015, as competition delayed from the Last season came to a dramatic conclusion.

Gareth Taylor’s City squad could have figured it out earlier in the game, as Scottish midfielder Caroline Weir hit the wood twice in the second half before England captain Steph Houghton saw a header off the post in extra time.

That was one of the magnificent stops by Everton’s 22-year-old Sandy MacIver, on a day when City’s 21-year-old English goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck also impressed, adding to an entertaining spectacle.

The final of the 50th Women’s Cup had originally been scheduled for May, but was delayed due to the pandemic and the cup resumed in the quarter-final stage in September, after the 2020-21 league season had already started. .

Unbeaten in their first five games of that new Women’s Super League season, the Toffees arrived at Wembley in good shape, but it was still last season’s WSL runners-up, City that were considered the pre-game favorites and were still within. Live up to that tag with a strong 45 minute opening

But Everton, who appeared in their first final since 2014 and trying to win their first cup since 2010, fought hard and the game went almost head-to-head at times in the last 20 minutes of normal time, before the champion City will go ahead. the last stage of extra time to win the cup for the third time in four seasons.

The dominance of the ‘big three’ continues

Sunday’s result continued with the combined six-year dominance of City, Arsenal and Chelsea of ​​the top national trophies in English women’s football.

Since Liverpool lifted the league title in 2014, no club other than today’s ‘big three’ has won the WSL, the Women’s FA Cup or the Continental League Cup.

City only turned pro in preparation for the 2014 summer season, but they have won seven major honors since then, adding their third FA Cup to three League Cups and the 2016 league crown.

They were made to dig deep against a hard-working Everton team and it will feel like they could have taken the lead in the second half when Gauvin of France launched a header just wide.

However, few can deny that City were a worthy winner: they created the most opportunities and came close twice in injury time of the second half, with play stretched.

Man of the match – Sandy MacIver

On a day when the two young English goalkeepers shone, Everton’s MacIver won the applause with a series of excellent saves, possibly the best of all, preventing Houghton’s header.