Sam Kerr scored the winner as Chelsea lifted the English Women’s FA Cup with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at a sold-out Wembley Stadium for Sunday’s final.
Kerr shrugged off last weekend’s injury scare to take her place from the start and netted the game’s only goal in the 68th minute.
After a United turnover, the Matildas skipper raced into space at the back post as Pernille Harder’s low pass across goal reached her, with Kerr lashing it home on her right foot.
United had enjoyed the better of the chances in the first half but Kerr came into the game in the second 45, first breaking clear in the 59th minute and sweeping a pass to Erin Cuthbert, who couldn’t get a good strike away in a dangerous situation.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said about Kerr: “I’ve never coached a player like her. A player that has such conviction, confidence and courage with the way she attacks everything. But what I love about Sam is that she’s willing to take responsibility at the top of the pitch.”
The triumph comes only days after Kerr was named the Football Writers’ Association Women’s Footballer of the Year for the second time.
Ellie Carpenter celebrated claiming her first piece of silverware this season as Olympique Lyon beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in Saturday’s Coupe de France final.
Carpenter, who missed nine months after injuring her ACL in May last year in the UEFA Champions League decider which Lyon won 3-1 over Barcelona, put in a full shift as Lyon triumphed again.
Lyon went 2-0 up in the first half after a double from Ada Hegeberg, with Ramona Bachmann’s penalty halving the deficit before half-time.
Carpenter had a chance to restore Lyon’s two-goal lead shortly after half-time but couldn’t control a dangerous throughball.
View this post on Instagram
Carpenter’s Lyon can clinch the league title next weekend against PSG again, with the Feminine Division 1’s top two sides to meet on Sunday.
Lyon are currently ahead of PSG by three points with two games to play, with a significantly better goal difference.
Carpenter will be dreaming of more silverware with the Matildas at the Women’s World Cup in Australia, starting in two months.
Jacynta Galabadaarachchi grabbed the assist for Celtic’s second goal as they won 2-1 at Hibernian in the Scottish Women’s Premier League on Sunday.
The assist from Galabadaarachchi, who started and played an hour, comes after reports she had chosen to play for Argentina over Australia and helps Celtic stay in the title hunt, sitting third but only two points behind leaders Glasgow City with one game to go.
Leaders Glasgow face second-placed Rangers (equal on points with Celtic) on the final day. Celtic, who face fourth-placed Hearts on the final day, have better goal difference than Glasgow, so can claim the title with a win if Glasgow draw. Rangers’ goal difference is one goal better than Celtic’s too, so that may be a factor too if both sides win.
Others
Minutes
Larissa Crummer – ST 88 (Brann), Kyra Cooney-Cross – SB 56 (Hammarby), Chelsie Dawber – SB 46 (Norrkoping), Alex Chidiac – SB 81 (Racing Louisville)
Notable absentees
Emily van Egmond (San Diego Wave)
