By Daily Sports Nigeria on March 6, 2022

Manchester City ended Chelsea's dominance of the Women's League Cup and claimed the trophy for the first time in three years after a stirring second-half comeback, led by Caroline Weir, saw them cruise to a 3-1 win over the Blues.

Chelsea came into the game seeking their third successive triumph in the competition, but ended up handing the trophy they have held since 2020 over to City after a meek second 45 minutes that was heavily punished by Gareth Taylor's side.

Emma Hayes said after the game she had "never seen" her side "concede as poorly" as they did in the second half, which was particularly surprising given they had the better of a frantic first period, which saw Sam Kerr give them the lead after a mix up between Ellie Roebuck and Demi Stokes.

That error from City was part of a pattern of unconvincing defending, with Chelsea threatening to score almost every time they crossed the ball into their opponents' penalty area.

City also caused their own issues on several occasions, with Alex Greenwood and Stokes both guilty of gifting Chelsea the ball in dangerous areas, but Hayes' side could not make more of their generosity.

Both sides had strong penalty claims turned down, with Allana Kennedy lucky not to be penalised after Lucy Bronze's header hit her outstretched arm, while Sophie Ingle was also fortunate not to give away a spot-kick after blocking a shot with her arms.

City should have opened the scoring before Kerr's goal, but Lauren Hemp missed a glorious opportunity from Georgia Stanway's cross after starting the move herself with a clever turn on the left-wing.

But City were a different team after half-time and blew away Chelsea thanks to two strikes from Weir, which came either side of a poacher's finish from Ellen White.

Weir's first came with Niamh Charles off the field receiving treatment, and Chelsea did not respond well to being briefly reduced to 10 players as they gifted Stanway the freedom of their half to square for the Scotland international, who steered a shot past Ann-Katrin Berger.

City completed the turnaround nine minutes later when Hemp pinched the ball from Chelsea on the edge of their area and scampered into the box before seeing her shot saved by Berger, who could only parry it straight to the grateful White.

Weir then ended Chelsea's resistance on 69 minutes by side-footing Bronze's knockdown from Stanway's corner into the roof of the net.

Chelsea looked stunned - Hayes said after the game that she felt her side were missing "experience" with the likes of Fran Kirby and Jessie Fleming ruled - and they barely mustered a fightback, with Roebuck only called into action to parry away a Charles shot from the edge of the area.

In truth, Chelsea were lucky not to concede more, with White guilty of snatching at a chance and Berger fumbling another Bronze header from a corner.

Source Sky Sports

Posted March 6, 2022

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