Chelsea’s quest for a quadruple in women’s soccer has commenced successfully.
In an exciting Women’s League Cup final on Saturday, Chelsea secured a 2-1 victory over Manchester City, grabbing their first trophy of the season.
The team remains unbeaten across all competitions, dominates the Women’s Super League by an eight-point margin with six games left, has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and has progressed into the FA Cup semifinals.
The decisive moment in the match came in the 77th minute when Yui Hasegawa inadvertently scored an own goal, sealing Chelsea’s triumph.
Earlier in the game, Mayra Ramirez had put Chelsea ahead with an early lead in the eighth minute, courtesy of a right-wing cross that caused Hasegawa to turn the ball into her net.
Hasegawa, the Japanese midfielder, was visibly emotional post-match and received consolation from her teammates.
Manchester City’s Aoba Fujino managed to level the score with a remarkable shot from the edge of the box in the 64th minute.
Chelsea had previously suffered defeats in the last three League Cup finals.
“It’s been a long struggle,” remarked Chelsea captain Millie Bright, who was instrumental in defending against City’s aggressive plays during the second half.
“Our ethos at Chelsea is resilience,” Bright emphasized. “It’s embedded in our identity.”
This encounter was the first of four matches between the two teams within a 12-day period, including the two-leg Champions League quarterfinals beginning on Wednesday and a Women’s Super League match scheduled between them.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor, celebrating her first accolade since joining in the last offseason, said, “My players understand the protocol. Celebrations are vital, but we face City again on Wednesday and must be prepared for a challenging match.”
She jokingly added about their celebrations, “They’ve got curfew till 9 o’clock. 9:30, in bed.”
