The 2023 FA Women's League Cup final was the twelfth final of the FA Women's League Cup, England's secondary cup competition for women's football teams and its primary league cup tournament. It took place on 5 March 2023 at Selhurst Park, and was contested by Chelsea and Arsenal.
Chelsea made their fourth consecutive (and fourth overall) appearance in a League Cup final, having lost the previous edition. Five-time winners Arsenal contested their ninth League Cup final and their first since losing in 2020. It was the second time the teams met in a League Cup final.
Arsenal won the match 3–1 and clinched their sixth title.
Route to the final
Arsenal RoundOppositionScoreGSByeQFAston Villa (H)3–0SFManchester City (A)1–0 (a.e.t.)Key: (H) = Home; (A) = Away Arsenal also entered the competition in the quarter-finals due to their participation in the UEFA Women's Champions League. They started off their journey by beating Aston Villa 3–0 in the quarter-final. Frida Maanum scored two goals and also provided an assist to Caitlin Foord.
The Gunners then took Manchester City to extra time in the semi-final. Stina Blackstenius pounced on fellow substitute Lina Hurtig's 93rd-minute cross, scoring the only goal of the game.
Chelsea +RoundOppositionScoreGSByeQFTottenham Hotspur (A)3–1SFWest Ham United (A)7–0Key: (H) = Home; (A) = Away Chelsea entered the competition in the quarter-finals due to their participation in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
The first of their two matches was a 3–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea took the lead seven minutes before half-time when Erin Cuthbert's shot was turned in by Sam Kerr from close range. Substitute Fran Kirby flicked in Chelsea's second after the break when she was teed up by Lauren James. Kerr made it 3–0 with a dinked finish late on, before Drew Spence claimed a consolation for Spurs.
Chelsea then went on to West Ham United, thrashing them 7–0 in the semi-final. They were 3–0 up after just 22 minutes, with a brace by Kerr and a goal by Kirby. In the stoppage time of the first half, Kerr netted her hat-trick. After James struck a fifth goal, Kerr was again left unmarked to net her fourth before Guro Reiten netted the Blues seventh with a deflected effort.
Match
Details
GK 1 Manuela ZinsbergerLB 7 Steph CatleyLCB 2 Rafaelle SouzaRCB 6 Leah WilliamsonRB 16 Noelle Maritz LCM 12 Frida MaanumCM 10 Kim Little (c)RCM 13 Lia WältiLW 19 Caitlin Foord FW 25 Stina Blackstenius RW 15 Katie McCabe Substitutes:GK 18 Kaylan MarckeseCB 3 Lotte Wubben-MoyCB 5 Jen Beattie FW 17 Lina HurtigMF 21 Victoria Pelova MF 22 Kathrine Møller KühlRB 26 Laura Wienroither Manager: Jonas Eidevall GK 30 Ann-Katrin BergerLB 21 Niamh Charles LCB 16 Magdalena Eriksson RCB 4 Millie Bright (c)RB 15 Ève PérissetLCM 22 Erin CuthbertRCM 5 Sophie Ingle LW 11 Guro ReitenCAM 28 Jelena Čanković RW 10 Lauren James CF 20 Sam KerrSubstitutes:GK 1 Zećira MušovićDF 7 Jess CarterMF 8 Melanie Leupolz DF 18 Maren MjeldeMF 17 Jessie Fleming MF 19 Johanna Rytting Kaneryd DF 26 Kadeisha Buchanan DF 27 Alsu AbdullinaManager: Emma Hayes
Player of the match: Kim Little (Arsenal)
Assistant referees: Ceri Williams Sophie Dennington
Fourth official: Lou Saunders
Reserve assistant referee: Abby DeardenMatch rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Nine named substitutes. Maximum of five substitutions in three stoppages.
References
External links