2020 Women's FA Cup Final

The 2020 Women's FA Cup Final (known as the SSE Women's FA Cup Final for sponsorship reasons was the 50th final of the Women's FA Cup,[2] England's primary cup competition for women's football teams. The showpiece event was the 27th to be played directly under the auspices of the Football Association (FA).[3]

2020 Women's FA Cup Final
Event2019–20 Women's FA Cup
Everton Manchester City
1 3
After extra time
Date1 November 2020 (2020-11-01)[1]
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeRebecca Welch (Durham)
Attendance0

The final, contested between Everton and Manchester City, was played on Sunday 1 November 2020 at Wembley Stadium in London. It was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] It was Everton's sixth appearance in the FA Cup final (including as forerunner club Leasowe Pacific) and their first since the final was moved to the national stadium having last appeared in the 2014 edition held at Stadium MK. They last won the competition in 2010. It was Manchester City's third appearance in the final having lifted the trophy on the two previous occasions in 2017 and 2019.[4]

Manchester City won the game 3–1 in extra-time after the scores were level at 1–1 after 90 minutes. The result meant Manchester City won back to back FA Cups for the first time in their history and became the first team to successfully defended their title since Arsenal in 2014.

50th anniversary
Everton celebrate their 2010 Cup win

The 2020 Cup Final is the 50th final of the competition, which was first played in 1970–71 as the WFA Cup, organised by the Women's Football Association.[2][5][3] The 2019–20 edition was delayed for over six months by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the quarter-finals (initially scheduled for 15 March 2020) were postponed to September 2020,[6][7][8] and the semi-finals took place on 30 September and 1 October.[9]

The Final was rescheduled from its original date, 9 May 2020, to Saturday 31 October 2020,[10][11] but this was changed for broadcasting reasons to Sunday 1 November.[12]

By coincidence, the new date for the 50th Final also fell exactly 50 years after the Cup's first ever reported fixture, in the 1970–71 WFA Cup, in the British Newspaper Archive.[13] This outlined upcoming matches of Lichfield team The Wandering Angels, including an away Cup game on 1 November 1970:

"And on the following Sunday the Lichfield girls visit Leicester City Supporters L.F.C. in the All British Ladies' F.A. Cup. Out of 91 ladies' football clubs throughout the [...] country, 71 have entered".[13] – Lichfield Mercury, 23 October 1970

In the early seasons, the WFA Cup or Mitre Challenge Trophy also involved Scottish clubs.[14] The first Cup-winners were Southampton Women's F.C. on 9 May 1971.[15] For comparison, 300 teams from England and Wales entered the Women's FA Cup in 2019–20, including the 1971 winning club.[16]

Route to the final

Everton
Round Opposition Score
4th London Bees (H) 1–0
5th Bristol City (A) 5–0
QF Chelsea (H) 2–1
SF Birmingham City (A) 3–0
Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue.

Everton were one of 23 WSL and Championship teams to enter the competition in the fourth round proper and were drawn against London Bees of the Championship to start, a tie that provided Everton with the only non-top flight opposition of their cup run. The Toffees beat the second division side 1–0 with Dutch international Inessa Kaagman scoring the only goal of the game, a 25-yard strike on the stroke of half-time.[17][18] Everton were handed an away tie against Bristol City at Ashton Gate in the fifth round, a team sat bottom of the WSL and battling relegation at the time but had progressed to this stage after similarly besting Championship opposition by one goal. Everton proved comfortable 5–0 winners: Kaagman again opened the scoring, her first of two goals on the day. Esme Morgan and Lucy Graham added goals before the break with Hannah Cain and Kaagman's second giving Everton their biggest margin of victory since a 6–1 FA Cup quarter-final victory over second-tier Durham in March 2018.[19][20] A home quarter-final tie against Chelsea, a team in the midst of a title challenge having already lifted one trophy this season by beating Arsenal in the 2020 FA Women's League Cup Final in their previous match, was scheduled for 15 March 2020. However, it was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the 2019–20 FA WSL season eventually curtailed and decided on a points-per-game basis,[21] the FA Cup was permitted to resume at the quarter-final stage six months later than planned. Everton ultimately faced newly-crowned WSL champions Chelsea on 27 September 2020 having already played two matches of the 2020–21 season. The game was played behind closed doors at Goodison Park with Erin Cuthbert giving the visitors an early lead in the 5th minute, the only goal the Toffees would end up conceding en route to the final. Everton went in level at the break through a 40th-minute Lucy Graham goal before French international Valérie Gauvin, a high-profile summer signing from Montpellier,[22] scored the decisive goal just past the hour mark, ending the London side's hopes of a domestic treble.[23] Three days later, Everton booked their place at Wembley with a 3–0 victory away at Birmingham City, a team undergoing a sizeable rebuild having lost eight senior players over the summer and under new management with Carla Ward.[24][25] Everton's Nicoline Sørensen, another of the club's international summer recruits, scored her first goal for the club in the game.[26]

Manchester City
Round Opposition Score
4th Manchester United (A) 3–2
5th Ipswich Town (H) 10–0
QF Leicester City (A) 2–1
SF Arsenal (H) 2–1
Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue.

Manchester City were one of 23 WSL and Championship teams to enter the competition in the fourth round proper and were drawn against Manchester derby rivals Manchester United having already met twice earlier in the year: City had triumphed on the opening day of the season before United earned a League Cup group stage win. The game was selected as the televised match of the round and broadcast live on the BBC Red Button. City won a five-goal thriller 3–2 with a brace from England international Ellen White putting the away side ahead. Substitute Lauren James pulled one back for United in the 69th-minute and the Red Devils thought they had drawn level when former City player Abbie McManus saw her shot trickle over the line but the officials disagreed, putting the lack of goal-line technology in women's football under scrutiny.[27][28] Jill Scott restored City's two-goal cushion shortly after while a Lauren Hemp own goal two minutes from time set up a nervy finish.[29] The fifth round paired the defending FA Cup champions in a favourable matchup against Ipswich Town of the FA Women's National League Division One South East (tier 4), the lowest ranked team left in the competition who had entered during second round qualifying and won six games to reach this stage.[30] Pauline Bremer, Jess Park and Georgia Stanway all scored hat-tricks as City ran out resounding 10–0 winners.[31][32] Reaching the quarter-final stage for the seventh consecutive season, City were drawn against Championship side Leicester City. With the season postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic the 2019–20 FA WSL season was eventually curtailed and decided on a points-per-game basis, moving City down from 1st to 2nd in the process as Chelsea were declared WSL champions.[21] Despite this, the FA Cup was permitted to resume at the quarter-final stage six months later than planned with opponents Leicester City having transitioned from semi-professional to full-time during the offseason layoff.[33] Manchester City, meanwhile, had appointed Gareth Taylor as manager ahead of the new season on 28 May following the departure of Nick Cushing during the previous campaign.[34] Despite the increased investment and influx of WSL talent to the new-look Leicester team, the Cityzens were able to see off the Foxes 2–1. Chloe Kelly, who had joined the Manchester club from Everton over summer, scored her first goal as a City player from the penalty spot to open scoring with Georgia Stanway doubling the lead before half-time. Leicester earned a penalty of their own in the 78th-minute, converted by Charlie Devlin, but City were again able to see out the win to set up a semi-final meeting with Arsenal. The teams had already met at the semi-final stage of the 2019–20 FA Women's League Cup earlier in the year with the Gunners emerging 2–1 winners. City were able to reverse the scoreline in this rematch: England international teammates Steph Houghton and Jordan Nobbs traded first-half goals before Sam Mewis, City's reigning World Cup champion midfielder acquired from North Carolina Courage in August, scored her first goal in English football to clinch the defending champions' place in the final.[35][36]

Match

Details
Everton (1)1–3 (a.e.t.)Manchester City (1)
 Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Rebecca Welch (Durham)
Everton
Manchester City
GK1 Sandy MacIver
RB2 Ingrid Moe Wold
CB20 Megan Finnigan
CB22 Rikke Sevecke 90'
LB3 Danielle Turner
CM17 Lucy Graham (c) 90+2'
CM12 Damaris Egurrola 99'
RW16 Hayley Raso 25' 76'
AM8 Izzy Christiansen
LW14 Nicoline Sørensen
ST19 Valérie Gauvin 90'
Substitutes:
GK23 Tinja-Riikka Korpela
FW7 Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah 76'
FW10 Simone Magill 90'
MF13 Abbey-Leigh Stringer 99'
MF15 Molly Pike 90+2'
MF21 Maéva Clemaron
MF26 Grace Clinton
DF30 Poppy Pattinson 90'
Manager:
Willie Kirk
GK26 Ellie Roebuck
RB20 Lucy Bronze 16'
CB6 Steph Houghton (c)
CB27 Alex Greenwood
LB3 Demi Stokes
CM22 Sam Mewis
CM24 Keira Walsh
CM19 Caroline Weir
FW9 Chloe Kelly 118'
FW18 Ellen White 63'
FW21 Rose Lavelle 70'
Substitutes:
GK1 Karen Bardsley
GK34 Karima Benameur Taieb
EF4 Gemma Bonner
MF7 Laura Coombs
MF8 Jill Scott
FW10 Georgia Stanway 82' 63'
FW11 Janine Beckie 118'
DF14 Esme Morgan
FW16 Jess Park 70'
Manager:
Gareth Taylor

Player of the match

Match officials

Match rules

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

References
  1. Association, The Football. "The Women's FA Cup Final 2020". nhc-ws-cd.ncms-ase1.p.azurewebsites.net.
  2. "England – List of Women Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  3. Gregory, Patricia (3 June 2005). "How women's football battled for survival". BBC Sport.
  4. "Everton and Man City set for 50th final". BBC Sport.
  5. "Women's FA Cup / FA Women's Cup – Finals". Women's Football Archive. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016.
  6. "Women's FA Cup quarter final draw made (17 Mar 2020)". The FA.
  7. "2019-20 Women's FA Cup to resume in September (24 Jul 2020)". The FA.
  8. "Women's FA Cup round-up: Everton, Birmingham and Man City into semis". Sky Sports News. 27 September 2020.
  9. "Women's FA Cup: Semi-final dates 'ridiculous', says Birmingham boss Carla Ward". BBC Sport. 29 September 2020.
  10. "Women's FA Cup Final tickets now on sale (9 Nov 2019)". The FA.
  11. "Women's FA Cup: Wembley final on 31 October as resumption gets go-ahead". BBC Sport. 24 July 2020.
  12. "#WomensFACup: 2019-2020 semi-final draw made". SheKicks.net. 13 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020.
  13. "PALACE". Lichfield Mercury. 23 October 1970. p. 20. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  14. "THE PRIM A DONNAS, the ladies’ football team from I I TILLYDRONE COMMUNITY CENTRE, [...] againstjStewarton Ladies (Kilmarnock) in the first round Mitre Challenge Trophy [...] tomorrow at 2 p.m." [sic]
    "Prima Donnas". Aberdeen Evening Express. 28 November 1970. p. 17. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  15. "WFA Cup Finals and Results". History of the Women's Football Association.
  16. "The Women's FA Cup Season 2019–2020 List of 300 Clubs Accepted" (PDF). thefa.com. The Football Association. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  17. Rowe, Adam (26 January 2020). "Match Report: Everton 1-0 London Bees". London Bees Official Website.
  18. "Stunning Kaagman Goal Ensures Everton's Cup Progress". www.evertonfc.com.
  19. "Match Report: Bristol City 0-5 Everton". Since 71. 18 February 2020.
  20. "Everton Women Hit Five At Bristol To Set Up Chelsea Quarter-Final". www.evertonfc.com.
  21. "Chelsea named Women's Super League champions, Liverpool relegated". BBC Sport. 5 June 2020.
  22. "Meet Everton's 'old school number nine' from Reunion". BBC Sport.
  23. "Women's report: Everton 2 Chelsea 1". Chelsea FC.
  24. "Carla Ward: "We looked tired against Everton"". VAVEL. 1 October 2020.
  25. McElwee, Molly (29 September 2020). "Carla Ward hits out at three-day turnaround as Birmingham City face Everton in FA semi-final". The Telegraph.
  26. "Birmingham City 0-3 Everton". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  27. Wrack, Suzanne (25 January 2020). "Manchester United rue lack of tech support as City win FA Cup derby". The Observer.
  28. Whyatt, Katie (25 January 2020). "Lack of technology in women's football under scrutiny after Manchester United's contentious FA Cup exit to Manchester City". The Telegraph.
  29. Oatway, Caroline. "White delight in five-goal Derby thriller". www.mancity.com.
  30. "Good vibes couldn't save Ipswich from a Man City blowout". All For XI. 19 February 2020.
  31. "Man City cruise past Ipswich in FA Cup". BBC Sport.
  32. Wrack, Suzanne (16 February 2020). "Manchester City trio all get hat-tricks in crushing 10-0 win over Ipswich". The Guardian.
  33. "Leicester acquire Leicester City Women and make side fully professional". Sky Sports.
  34. "Manchester City Women appoint Gareth Taylor as manager". The Guardian. 28 May 2020.
  35. "Women's FA Cup report: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  36. "The Sam Mewis show: USWNT star announces herself to England in Arsenal win". www.goal.com.
  37. "2020 Women's FA Cup final BBC report". BBC Sport. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
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