In front of a packed house at Pride Park in Derby, the Chelsea Women battled with Manchester City to lift their first trophy of the 2024/25 season. It was not the prettiest affair but cup finals rarely are as the two teams slogged through a physical match on a pitch that was not ready for a game of this magnitude.
Chelsea were down a few key players as Keira Walsh and Guro Reiten missed the match through injury but they still had two stalwarts in, among others, Lauren James and Mayra Ramirez who would prove to be the difference. The pair would link up time and again and helped the Blues capture League Cup glory.
Ramirez and James connected in the 8th minute on a through ball from the midfielder that set the forward up clean on goal. Ayaka Yamashita denied Ramirez’s first attempt but a fortunate bounce saw the ball settle in the back of the net to give Chelsea the advantage. This would be a recurring theme for the Blues as they had good fortune to thank on a few occasions.
Chelsea had a chance to double the lead with Ramirez through on goal after a slip from a City defender but she fluffed her lines and made the save all too easy for Yamashita. That was Chelsea’s best opportunity of the first half after the opening goal and they carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The start of the second half saw City grow into the game as they pressed hard in search of an equalizer. Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze tried to extend the lead by winning a penalty on 50 minutes but she was booked for simulation instead. The call seemed a bit harsh as Bronze looked to be protecting herself from a potentially nasty challenge in the box.
The City equalizer came in the 64th minute as Aoba Fujino danced through the Chelsea defense and smashed it home past Hannah Hampton. The Chelsea keeper probably should have done better but she was partially unsighted and Millie Bright had the chance to head it clear.
City were on top after their equalizer and it looked like they were going to take the lead as Chelsea were loose with possession in their own half. Thankfully, good fortune smiled on the Blues again as they found the winner through Ramirez and City’s panic in their own box in the 77th minute.
Ramirez sent in a bouncing cross and City defender Yui Hasegawa panicked and sliced it into her own net. Hasegawa had enough time to take a touch and clear it but to be fair to her the ball did take a tricky bounce before it bounced off her shin.
The rest of the match passed largely without incident as the Blues were able to see the last 15 minutes out without a real chance for City. The full time whistle blew and Chelsea fans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief as they captured their first trophy of the 2024-25 season.
The journey for the quadruple continues and another three matches against City beckon in the next 12 days. If the Blues are going to continue their trophy hunt they will have to overcome this tough City side that always gives them fits.