Women’s FA Cup final LIVE: Chelsea vs Manchester United result and reaction as Sam Kerr scores winning goal
Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United: Kerr’s goal wins Chelsea a third FA Cup in a row in front of a world-record crowd for a women’s club match
Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 to claim a third straight Women’s FA Cup title in front of a record crowd at Wembley, as Sam Kerr’s strike again proved to be the difference.
Kerr, who also scored the winner in last season’s final, turned in substitute Pernille Harder’s fine cross in the 68th minute to decide a tight game in front of 77,390 fans - the highest attendance for a domestic women’s match in England. “We didn’t have a great game today, but it’s the sign of a great team that we pushed on,” Kerr said.
United dominated possession and created numerous opportunities in the first half, but could not find a breakthrough as Chelsea struggled to match the WSL leaders. Leah Galton had a goal ruled out in the first minute for offside, while both goalkeepers, Ann-Katrin Berger and Mary Earps, made excellent saves as the teams went into the break level.
United were quickly made to rue their wasted chances after the restart, as Chelsea grew into the game and broke the deadlock through Kerr. The goal took the wind out of United’s sails and Chelsea were able to contain them as they held on to lift the trophy for a fifth time.
Relive the action from Wembley as Chelsea beat Manchester United to win the FA Cup.
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Can Kerr deliver on the big stage again?
League top goalscorer for the past two seasons, Sam Kerr has scored in five consecutive cup finals for Chelsea: a hat-trick in their 2021 League Cup Final victory, a brace to help win both the 2021 and 2022 Women’s FA Cup Finals and the only goal for Chelsea in successive League Cup Final defeats, to Manchester City in 2022 and Arsenal earlier this year.
Ahead of what is the first women’s FA Cup final to sell out Wembley, Kerr said: “I play this game to score goals and I love the pressure, I love the big games, I love being able to have a moment in the palm of your hands and be able to do something great.
“So I get excited about these games. People are still talking about that Man United last game of the season, and for me that was so exciting. I think it’s exciting when there’s another moment like that on the horizon.”
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Chasing the double
Chelsea and Manchester United are vying with each other to win the league and FA Cup double, something Chelsea have done for the past two seasons (including as part of a treble in 2020/21). Chelsea sealed the 2021/22 title with a dramatic comeback victory over Manchester United on the last day of the season to become the first team to win the WSL three times in a row.
The title is in Chelsea’s hands this season. They are a point behind Manchester United, but have a game in hand. If the Blues win their three remaining fixtures - West Ham, Arsenal and Reading on the final day - they will be champions. The Arsenal game is the toughest, but Manchester United also have a tricky test against Manchester City next weekend.
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Pre-match stats
- This is the first Women’s FA Cup Final to be contested between these two teams. Manchester United have never previously reached a major final while Chelsea have played in ten major finals, lifting the FA Cup four times and the League Cup twice.
- Chelsea have appeared in six Women’s FA Cup Finals including five of the eight finals that have been played at Wembley. They also won the first Community Shield to be held at Wembley with a 2-0 victory over Manchester City behind closed doors in August 2020.
- A Manchester United women’s team has played at Wembley on two previous occasions. In the decade prior to becoming fully part of the official club set-up, the then regional league team played Oldham Athletic in April 1994 before the men’s teams faced off in an FA Cup semi-final and then, in August 1996, beat Newcastle in the build-up to a Charity Shield match featuring their respective men’s teams.
- Reigning WSL champions Chelsea are appearing in their sixth successive domestic final having played in every League and FA Cup Final since March 2021, winning three out of five matches but losing their most recent League Cup Final to Arsenal in March.
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: United hope FA Cup final is first of many
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner looks ahead to the club’s debut in the women’s FA Cup final, just five years after resurrecting their women’s programme:
“We’re maybe slightly ahead but nothing we’re not planning for. If it moves ahead then that’s brilliant but I want it to be sustained.
“That is my plan over the summer with our recruitment and how we go; it’s about making it sustainable so we’re not just a flash in the pan. That’s something I won’t accept for us.
“I’m really happy with our progression because you can see it in the performances and the statistics. Being at Manchester United though, we want to win.
“We are putting in the foundations for that. That’s where the pride comes from.”
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Hayes on Chelsea team selection
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes on her team selection: “We’re in good shape and we’re looking healthy. Everyone who knows me knows that I don’t just pick a team of 11 players, it’s about a squad and we like to mix things up in training throughout the week.
“We believe in developing players and developing those combinations, and it’s fair to say the entire squad is at their best level, they’re all prepared, and, for that reason, it’s going to be difficult to pick a team.”
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Record crowd at Wembley
Emma Hayes believes a Wembley sell-out for Sunday’s Women’s FA Cup final is “the new norm”.
Defending champions Chelsea will take on Manchester United in front of an expected 90,000-strong crowd - a record for a women’s domestic club match.
This season has seen many milestones hit in terms of attendances in the Women’s Super League, with teams capitalising on the interest created by England’s European Championship victory.
Hayes is delighted to see her hopes coming to fruition, saying at a pre-match press conference: “Having a sold-out Wembley is just fantastic for the game.
“As a women’s football fan, it means everything to me. I’ve sat here for over 10 years pushing, probing and championing for this because I knew that this day wasn’t too far away.
“With the success of the Lionesses, I knew that there would be no excuses now and I think this is the new norm.”
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Prediction and odds
Chelsea win 21/20
Draw (after 90 minutes) 5/2
Manchester United win 23/10
Prediction
Chelsea narrowly take victory. Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Predicted line-ups
Chelsea XI: Berger; Perisset, Carter, Eriksson; Charles, Cuthbert, Leupolz, Reiten; James, Kerr, Harder.
Manchester United XI: Earps; Batlle, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Ladd, Zelem; Parris, Toone, Galton; Russo.
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: Early team news
The unfortunate Fran Kirby will miss the remainder of the season after yet more injury problems, but Sam Kerr was fit enough to make the bench against Leicester and should be in contention. Pernille Harder showed she was back to full match sharpness with a brace in that midweek encounter.
Manchester United are without Maria Thorisdottir, like Kirby ruled out for the rest of the season. Lisa Naalsund has been back in training this week, while Katie Zelem is back to skipper the side after missing last weekend’s win over Tottenham due to suspension.
Women’s FA Cup final 2023: TV channel and kick-off time
When is the Women’s FA Cup final?
Chelsea vs Manchester United is due to kick off at 2.30pm BST on Sunday 14 May at Wembley Stadium in London.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the FA Cup final live on BBC One, with coverage on the channel from 1.50pm BST. The match will also be available to watch on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
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