Holders Manchester United beat second-tier Sunderland to reach the Adobe Women’s FA Cup semi-finals.
Goals from Leah Galton and Maya Le Tissier at either end of the first half put United in control. Sunderland halved the deficit in the 70th minute with a lucky goal from Louise Griffiths to create some slight nerves. However, United continued to dominate and Ella Toone added a third in stoppage time to seal their progression.
As it happened
Manchester United started aggressively, forcing Sunderland deep, and their efforts paid off in the seventh minute. After build-up from Aoife Mannion and Grace Clinton, Leah Galton stooped to head home Celin Bizet’s cross into the bottom right corner. The Red Devils marked the goal by holding up a United shirt with the name of 10-year-old Poppy Atkinson, a United fan and aspiring footballer who tragically died after being hit by a car at a football session earlier this week. The crowd also remembered Poppy with a minute’s applause and the players wore black armbands.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Red Devils kept up their relentless pressure throughout the half and could have added to their lead when Melvine Malard struck the crossbar. Sunderland had moments of promise but gave the ball away easily and didn’t trouble United keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce. The match’s energy dipped for a while, but United found the strength to resume their high press and were rewarded with a second goal in stoppage time. Captain Maya Le Tissier perfectly timed her run to head in Gabby George’s corner, doubling United’s lead.
Sunderland boss Melanie Reay gave her side more attacking impetus with a host of changes, introducing Jenna Dear and Louise Griffiths for Libbi McInnes and Megan Beer in the 46th minute. Katie Watson and Ellen Jones joined for Emily Scarr and Katie Kitching in the 62nd minute. The substitutes gave the Black Cats hope with 20 minutes remaining when, on a fairly rare Sunderland attack, Le Tissier’s attempted clearance rebounded in off Griffiths to halve the deficit.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Red Devils still had more to give, though, as Bizet flew down the right flank in the first minute of added time and sent another perfect cross into the box. This time the unmarked Ella Toone rose to meet it, and Brianna Westrup couldn’t quite pull off a heroic goal-line clearance. Any hopes of a Sunderland comeback were thoroughly dashed.
The result means only Barclays Women’s Super League sides remain in the competition, with Chelsea facing Crystal Palace, Arsenal hosting Liverpool, and Aston Villa travelling to Manchester City on Sunday. United will learn their semi-final opponents in the draw following Sunday’s games.
The lineups
MUN: Tullis-Joyce; Mannion, Le Tissier, Turner, George; Clinton, Miyazawa; Bizet Ildhusøy, Toone, Galton; Mallard
SUN: Lambourne; Goddard, Westrup, Stapleton; Beer, Fenton, Flannery, McInnes, Corbyn; Kitching, Scarr
