2020 FA Women's League Cup final
Event2019–20 FA Women's League Cup
Arsenal Chelsea
1 2
Date29 February 2020 (2020-02-29)
VenueCity Ground, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire
Player of the MatchAnn-Katrin Berger
RefereeHelen Conley
Attendance6,743

The 2020 FA Women's League Cup final was the ninth 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 29 February 2020 at the City Ground, and was contested by Arsenal and Chelsea.[1]

Arsenal had competed in all but one (2016) of the previous finals, winning five. Chelsea made their first appearance in a League Cup final having been a losing semi-finalist at the hands of Manchester City in each of the last two seasons.[2][3]

Route to the final

Round Opposition Score
GS London City Lionesses (A) 5–0
GS Charlton Athletic (H) 4–0
GS Brighton & Hove Albion (A) 0–0 (p)
GS Bristol City (H) 7–0
GS London Bees (H) 9–0
QF Reading (H) 1–0
SF Manchester City (H) 2–1
Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue.

Arsenal

Arsenal topped their League Cup Group for the second consecutive season, doing so by winning four of their five games; against second-tier teams London City Lionesses, Charlton Athletic and London Bees as well as FA WSL relegation battlers Bristol City. The only team to stop Arsenal from winning in the Group Stage was fellow WSL side Brighton & Hove Albion who earned themselves a goalless draw before the Seagulls also took the extra available point by winning the ensuing penalty shootout 4–2. Arsenal finished the Group Stage without conceding a goal.

The quarter-finals saw Arsenal drawn at home to Reading as their strong defensive record continued, seeing off the midtable WSL side 1–0 thanks to a late Kim Little strike. The semi-final matched Arsenal against defending League Cup champions and fellow WSL title-challengers Manchester City. A 2–0 Arsenal lead at half-time was halved in the 60th minute as Gemma Bonner scored the first goal Arsenal had conceded in the competition but the Gunners held on for the win, sending them to their third consecutive final.

Round Opposition Score
GS West Ham United (H) 2–0
GS Crystal Palace (A) 3–0
GS Lewes (A) 2–1
GS Tottenham Hotspur (H) 5–1
GS Reading (A) 1–1 (p)
QF Aston Villa (H) 3–1
SF Manchester United (A) 1–0
Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue.

Chelsea

Chelsea topped their League Cup Group for the third consecutive season, and, like Arsenal, progressed with 13 points after winning four of the five games and drawing a fifth before losing the penalty shootout. They beat two WSL teams and two second-tier teams by way of West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and Lewes before Reading forced a 1–1 draw. The Royals won the extra point 4–2 on penalties.

In the quarter-finals, Chelsea were drawn at home to Aston Villa, one of two Championship teams to progress to the knockout stage. Chelsea ran out comfortable 3–1 winners. The Blues' place in their first League Cup final was ultimately assured by a sole Maren Mjelde goal as Chelsea once again narrowly beat newly-promoted Manchester United 1–0 in the semi-final, a repeat of the scoreline when the teams had first met in the league in November 2019.

Match

Details

Arsenal1–2Chelsea
 Report
Attendance: 6,743
Referee: Helen Conley
Arsenal
Chelsea
GK1Austria Manuela Zinsberger
DF16Republic of Ireland Louise Quinn
DF17Scotland Lisa Evans
DF22Austria Viktoria Schnaderbeck
DF15Republic of Ireland Katie McCabeYellow card 81'
MF6England Leah Williamson
MF14Netherlands Jill Roord
MF7Netherlands Daniëlle van de Donk
MF8England Jordan Nobbs (c)
FW11Netherlands Vivianne Miedema
FW19Australia Caitlin Foord
Substitutes:
GK18France Pauline Peyraud-Magnin
MF20Germany Leonie Maier
MF26England Ruby Grant
MF27England Melisa Filis
DF30England Ruby Mace
Manager:
Australia Joe Montemurro
GK30Germany Ann-Katrin Berger
DF18Norway Maren Mjelde
DF4England Millie Bright
DF16Sweden Magdalena Eriksson (c)Yellow card 59'
DF25Sweden Jonna Andersson
MF5Wales Sophie Ingle
MF10South Korea Ji So-yundownward-facing red arrow 75'
MF11Norway Guro Reiten
FW9England Bethany England
FW20Australia Sam Kerrdownward-facing red arrow 90+3'
FW22Scotland Erin CuthbertYellow card 77'
Substitutes:
GK28England Carly Telford
DF2Norway Maria Thorisdottirupward-facing green arrow 75'
DF3England Hannah Blundell
MF7England Jessica Carter
DF21England Deanna Cooper
FW23Switzerland Ramona Bachmann
MF24England Drew Spenceupward-facing green arrow 90+3'
Manager:
England Emma Hayes

Player of the match:
Ann-Katrin Berger

Match officials

Assistant referees:
Helen Edwards
Magda Golba


Fourth official:
Stacey Pearson

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Seven named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

References

  1. ↑ "Conti Cup final comes to The City Ground on Saturday". www.nottinghamforest.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "Chelsea Women v Arsenal Women: Continental League Cup final". BBC Sport. 28 February 2020.
  3. ↑ Aluko, Eni (27 February 2020). "Continental Cup final gives an unloved competition a fascinating climax". The Guardian.
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