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Chelsea v Manchester City: Women’s FA Cup semi-final – live | Women’s FA Cup
Key events
60 min: You can’t hand chances like that to Sam Kerr, though perhaps an element of karma for that incorrectly disallowed goal.
Goal! Chelsea 2-0 Manchester City (Kerr, 59)
Oh, calamity, a fumble of James’ cross from Keating, the City keeper, and Sam Kerr does a Sam Kerr thing.
58 min: Hemp remains a central character, and whips the ball across. Could Kerolin have made a better effort to head that. Shaw had dropped deep to set up the move.
56 min: In the next breath, Kerr is again involved. Chelsea starting the second half like they did the first.
55 min: From the next corner, Hemp bravely blocks off Kerr.
54 min: Hemp back on, with no number on her shirt. As she arrives, she’s asked to head a ball and there’s a scramble, Sam Kerr fully involved, the ball bouncing hither and thither.
52 min: Hemp will come back on, once she’s changed her shirt.
50 min: This is a lengthy delay…and treatment continues, looks like there’s been some blood spilled. Lauren Hemp has cotton buds up her nostrils.
48 min: Hemp took an almighty clump in a collision with Ouahabi, her teammate. It looks like a head injury. Some concern for Sarina Wiegman.
46 min: Back we come into the action and the good news for City is the return of Bunny Shaw, who is straight back into the throng.
Half-time: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Chelsea would be two up if the officials had not gone out for Sam Kerr’s disallowed goal. They’ve created the better chances, even if their goal had a touch of luck to it. Big half to come if City are to rescue their double bid. Will Khadija Shaw be back to play her part?
45+1 min: Looks like Shaw will be coming back on though is still rubbing her neck as she arrives, and Sam Kerr whips a shot wide from an acute angle.
45 min: There’s head shaking from Shaw, and her day could be done. She leaves the field rubbing her neck. Three minutes added on.
44 min: Bunny Shaw is down, and looks dazed after a collision with Buurman.
43 min: Oof, something of a slice from Hannah Hampton but she gets away with it. At the other end, a James shot is deflected behind.
41 min: James fires over and isn’t happy that the ball she hit didn’t have enough purchase on it.
40 min: Chelsea hold on the ball rather than adopt their previous wildcat attacking strategy. Then, patience almost pays off as Sam Kerr gets space, though that’s closed down.
38 min: Good save from Hampton following a deflected shot by Blindkilde Brown. Chances coming at both ends.
36 min: Hampton’s long ball from goalkeeper causes real problems, and as Kerr lurks, it takes a Greenwood intervention to stop what looked a certain goal. Chelsea look dangerous on every attack but then again so do City on their more rare excursions.
34 min: But, after a move started by Grace Clinton, the ball is headed over by Shaw. City are not done yet, by any measure.
33 min: Thompson is in the mood, her cross aimed at Kerr, but just headed over. Chelsea are back in the ascendancy.
32 min: What a run from Alyssa Thompson, dancing feet, like Ricky Villa, and it takes a well-timed tackle from Rose to stop her. Rose hurt herself in the act but plays on.
31 min: Kerr darts into the area, before the ball is cleared rather hurriedly.
30 min: Carpenter gets to the byline again but the ball is overhit this time. That disallowed second goal feels a while ago now.
28 min: Millie Btight pictured in the stands, hood up. It’s cold out in London today. Cold in, too. Considering putting the heating back on.
27 min: A sighter for Shaw, laid up for her by Kerolin but the striker can’t get over the ball and misses the target. Think everyone expected better there.
25 min: A brief lull in play but Lauren James soon sets off one of her runs, only to lose her footing. The contest has evened out after that early blitz.
24 min: Thompson has been lively for Chelsea, and is robbed by Rose after shaking off Alex Greenwood’s close attentions.
23 min: Clinton makes a fine run forward, and lays up Karolin for a shot on goal; it goes wide. That could have been far better.
22 min: James zips in a shot, and it takes another deflection, this time drifting wide. So much firepower out there today.
20 min: Sonia Bompastor can be heard issuing terse instructions to her team, they have surrendered their early dominance.
18 min: Shaw slides the ball wide to Hemp, and the shot is blocked but the FWA player of the year is growing into this game.
17 min: Sam Kerr has been lively. It’s possible, of course, that Khadija Shaw will replace here as the Aussie great is out of contract this summer.
16 min: City have to up the tempo and are doing so, Shaw finding space down the inside left, and it takes a fine Buchanan tackle to stop her.
15 min: A City corner causes a modicum of trouble for Chelsea before Hannah Hampton climbs up to claim the ball.
13 min: First involvement from Shaw against her prospective employers, and Hemp zips a shot wide.
11 min: City need to ride the luck they’ve just been handed. That was not great from the officials. We may hear more later. Kerr gave the assistant the wagging finger. And it was justified.
Sam Kerr has goal disallowed
9 min: Sam Kerr has the ball in the net, and it’s ruled out. The assistant referee said the ball was out when Carpenter crossed from the byline. Replays show the ball was not out….no VAR so Chelsea denied there.
Goal! Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City (Cuthbert, 8)
A Kerr flick lays up Thompson, and Cuthbert’s low drive comes off City’s Rose and goes in.
7 min: City at least getting out of their half but Chelsea still full of energy. Ellie Carpenter has to come across to stop a Hemp run.
5 min: Sarina Wiegman is looking on, lots of Lionesses on view, with Grace Clinton of City among the players she is running the rule over. Another, Lauren Hemp, skids a ball across goal, Hasegawa just fails to connect.
3 min: Powerful run from Lauren James and a booming shot just wide. Chelsea have gone from the b of the bang.
2 min: Chelsea on the attack already, Thompson forces a fine save from Keating, the City keeper. The corner causes problems but is finally knocked behind for a goal kick.
Away we go in the second FA Cup semi
1 min: A reminder there’s no VAR here. Who will make it to Wembley?
Millie Bright is in the stadium, the Chelsea legend having retired last month.
Gordon gets in touch: “I am wondering if the Chelsea players will give their opponents today a guard of honour after City became WSL champions?”
Let’s see, perhaps that would only happen in an actual WSL match.
The Manchester City manager Andree Jeglertz on TNT on Khadija Shaw: “There has been speculation about our players for a long time, and her especially. They are used to handling that. We don’t speak about it inside of the group. She’s here today to play for us and win the game for us. It has not affected us.”
The big news is Khadija Shaw starts for City, as would be expected. Missing is Rebecca Knaak, with a shoulder injury sustained scoring the goal against Liverpool that placed one hand on the WSL title.
For Chelsea, Lionesses in Hannah Hampton and Keira Walsh come in though Lucy Bronze is benched.
The teams
Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Buurman, Buchanan, Charles, Walsh, Nusken, Cuthbert, James, Thompson, Kerr. Subs: Peng, Spencer, Baltimore, Kaptein, Rytting Kaneryd, Bronze, Potter, Beever-Jones, Sarwie
Manchester City: Keating, Rose, Greenwood, Clinton, Shaw, Hemp, Kerolin, Ouahabi, Casparij, Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa. Subs: Cumings, Coombs, Fowler, Wienroither, Fujino, Lohmann, Beney, Prior, Murphy.
The former Chelsea player Fran Kirby of Brighton has beem speaking after that Brighton win: “Absolutely. I don’t know. It would be great to play some of the girls I’ve played with over so many years. But, you know what, may the best team win.”
Brighton will the opponent for whomever wins at Stamford Bridge in this game.
They have beaten Arsenal and now Liverpool to get to Wembley.
And Tom’s story on Shaw’s departure:
On the champions of England, from the excellent Tom Garry.
Nineteen of City’s 58 goals have been scored by Shaw, who has been the star of the show. The focal point of the attack, she has looked unstoppable and will surely be named as the WSL’s player of the season. City have also had great weapons down the flanks, with the England winger Lauren Hemp on one side and the Netherlands right-back Kerstin Casparij surging forward on the other. They are lethal from set pieces, too, aided by the deliveries from Greenwood, whose career total of 19 WSL assists from set pieces is a record.
Preamble
It’s been a big week for Manchester City’s women’s team, crowned champions when Arsenal failed to beat Brighton, and then the news that key player Khadija Shaw will be heading elsewhere once the season is over. That Chelsea are the favourites to sign Shaw only adds to the heady mix of this cup semi; City are going for the double. Chelsea are attempting to rescue a disappointing season in the WSL and Champions League by adding the FA Cup to the League Cup. This is massive, frankly.
Kick-off is at 3.30pm UK time. Join me.
The family of Shaun Burton, say they are “devastated” by the loss.
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Key events
In the opening half an hour against Cape Verde, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch.
Kyle Green gets in touch: “Your highlighting of Lalas and his absurdity is something that has prevented me from wanting to watch the coverage on Fox. While every channel has its pros and cons I just can’t.
“I’m 45 and probably the youngest of anyone who remembers him as a player instead of an opinionated insert insult here. As for the match this could be more competitive than it looks on paper Spain need a win the pressure is on them. Saudi Arabia could hold out for a draw and see what happens in their last match. “
News from the England camp, and it seems to be good news on Declan Rice.
“I’m ready and fit, raring to go. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision.
“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70-minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.”
Alex Reid has penned today’s weekend special Football Daily.
Portugal v Uzbekistan on Tuesday enticingly pits the incredibly nice, incredibly 41-year-old-superstar-tolerant Roberto Martínez against Fabio Cannavaro, who’s won a Ballon d’Or as a player and the Chinese Super League as a coach. While the fixture following that game really does see the dream of Thomas Tuchel – in his first international job with England – taking on Queiroz, who is in charge of his ninth national side with Ghana.
The expected formations are 4-2-3-1 for Spain, and 5-3-2 for the Saudi Arabians.
The Saudi team features two Donis changes: Ali Lajami, a defender, and Nasser Al Dawsari, a midfielder, are preferred to Mohammed Abu Al Shamat and Mohamed Kanno. You may recall Salem Al Dawsari, the Saudi captain, as the man who scored the winner against Argentina.
An entertaining read, even for those of us who have just seen the clips.
In a conversation where his co-panelist is casually reminiscing about his days playing alongside Messi or exchanging shirts with Ronaldo Nazário at the World Cup, what exactly is Lalas going to talk about – coming on as a second-half substitute for Earnie Stewart in a friendly against Scotland in 1998? Helping the Kansas City Wizards finish last in the 1999 MLS Western Conference? Did Lalas enjoy an elite playing career? No. But does he do the background reading that could compensate for his relative lack of standing in a conversation with titans like Henry and Zlatan? Also no. But is he charming or funny or charismatic or otherwise magnetic on screen? Eh, no.
For the record, I once interviewed Alexi Lalas on the challenge of playing against Romario in the 1994 World Cup. He had this to say:
“He could kill you in so many different ways. If you remember from that World Cup, he scored so many types of goals. That ranged from solo adventures to an outside-of-the-right-foot half-volley off a corner kick. Romario was both the most difficult to play against and the best that I have faced.
“Roberto Baggio was doing his thing, but in terms of consistency and living up to the hype, he [Romario] was the best. As with all stars, there was a moment when the fans sit up in their seats, and that was a feeling I got with Romario. When it got close to him and the potential for his involvement in a play was there, everybody sat up in their seat. They knew that something spectacular would be happening.”
Saturday’s match reports here.
The Saudi Arabia coach, and Blackburn legend, Georgios Donis, spoke about the challenges facing his team: “Spain is not the same team when Yamal or Williams are on the bench.
“While they still have plenty of possession, they lack the individual one-on-one penetration when these two are missing. I’m not saying it’s a problem for Spain, but when those players are missing, they play in a different way. We saw this very clearly against Cape Verde.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, and it’s very important that when you play against these kinds of teams, you should enjoy the experience and respect the opponent, but not too much.
“It is very hard for any team playing against Spain to have any time in possession. So what we must do is to be more in control of our movement and compact, and when the ball goes through the lines, be able to defend dynamically.
“It’s nice to see miracles in football, and we’ve seen favourites losing against underdogs. Of course, it’s great for Saudi football to have a great memory of the result against Argentina, but we aren’t drawing anything from that.
“I think we’ll feel more pressure in that [Cape Verde] game than we will against Spain.”
The Spain coach, Luis De La Fuente had this to say in his Saturday press conference: “This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up… It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Saturday. There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”
Four changes for Spain: Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also come into the side with Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi dropping out.
The teams – Lamine Yamal starts
Spain: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal. Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, Iglesias.
Saudi Arabia: Al Owais, Abdulhamid, Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Al Harbi, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Khaibari, Al Juwayr, Al Buraikan, Salem Al Dawsari. Subs: Al Aqidi, Al Kassar, Majrashi, Yahya, Al Shehri, Al Boushal, Kadesh, Al Johani, Al Ghannam, Al Hajji, Al Hamdan, Mandash, Kanno, Thakri, Abu Al Shamat.
Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Perhaps one of the Saudi -players can write themselves into this high-grade selection?
Perhaps it can be their goalkeeper.
Madrid screening of Spain v Saudi Arabia cancelled due to heat
The public screening of Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Madrid on Sunday has been cancelled because of extreme heat forecast for the Spanish capital, officials said.
The match, due to kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, had been scheduled to be shown on a giant screen installed by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón in central Madrid.
Madrid city council and the federation decided to cancel the screening after national weather agency AEMET issued an orange heat warning – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C.
“The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” Madrid city hall said in a statement, apologising for any inconvenience.
Officials urged supporters to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned spaces and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.
Large parts of Spain are experiencing unusually high temperatures for June as a mass of hot air from North Africa moves across the Iberian Peninsula.
A total of 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the northern Basque Country bordering France is on red alert, the highest level.
Authorities advised residents and visitors to take precautions during the heatwave, including drinking water regularly, staying in cool environments, limiting outdoor physical activity during the hottest hours of the day and taking extra care of vulnerable people. AFP
Can Saudi Arabia repeat the magic of 2022?
Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-game unbeaten run. When Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 10 minutes, a comfortable afternoon seemed in the offing. Saleh al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari had other ideas, Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside in the space of 13 minutes and the greatest comeback in Saudi Arabia football history was made. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, while defeats to Poland and Mexico meant the Saudis did not reach the knock-out stage.
Unai Simon over David Raya is a controversial choice for De la Fuentes. The Arsenal keeper could lay claim to being Europe’s best this season.
“Those at the Champions League final had a few more days, so I got there on the Wednesday night,” Raya says. “I arrived a bit before Fabián [Ruiz]. I was saying hello to some of the others in reception when he arrived. I went to say congratulations; that was almost the first thing I did. I couldn’t really talk [to him] after the final; I just didn’t have it in me. The next day we talked about the game properly. Just two mates chatting … I was happy for him that he could lift the trophy for a second time.”
A high pressure game for the European champions, as Sid Lowe reports.
“If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.”
We wait to see what role Lamine Yamal will play today. His coach would surely like to be able to use him.
The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us, isn’t to them. In those extremes, they feel comfortable. Why? Because they are different. What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.
Preamble
Spain’s campaign did not get off to a flying start, and Luis de la Fuentes may wake up in the night to visions of Cape Verde’s Vozinha. He will have Georgia on his mind ever since Monday. Saudi Arabia are no pushovers and gave Uruguay a scare in their opening match. Memories of downing Argentina four years ago still abound, and so Spain might beware. They can ill afford to go into the final game with Uruguay at a disadvantage. All eyes on Lamine Yamal, whose fitness situation remains opaque, though Spain need their other forwards to come to the party.
Kick-off 5pm UK, 1pm ET, 2am AEST. Join me.
A topless man can be seen driving erratically in Edinburgh before abandoning his car and attacking a black man and a delivery rider.
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