Red Alert at the Joie: United Power Past City to Book Third Consecutive FA Cup Final

Manchester United have secured their place in the FA Cup final for the third consecutive season, following a 2-0 victory over Manchester City courtesy of goals from Clinton and Bizet.

Image: BBC Sport

The Red Devils started the game on the forefront, demonstrating a high press which unnerved the hosts, giving United the first opportunity of the game. Ella Toone capitalised on the open space she found herself in, clipping the ball across to Celin Bizet in the City box. Bizet curved the ball from outside the far post, slotting it effortlessly into the top corner.

The hosts had their first chance on target in the 17th minute, but Lily Murphy was unable to control the ball as she fired it wide of the near post. Following this, Manchester City dropped to 10 players as Mary Fowler received treatment on her right knee, before being substituted off for Naomi Layzell in the 23rd minute. Nick Cushing’s side were already stretched thin as they miss key-name figures, but Fowler’s injury meant players were now out of position, with Kerolin moving to centre-forward and Casparij shifting to the right wing.

Image: Sky Sports

Grace Clinton was quick to double United’s lead, as she added another from a free-kick. Gabby George swung the ball into the six-yard box before Clinton lost her marker of Gracie Prior, heading the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Kerolin came close to reducing the deficit in the 35th minute, as the ball deflected off the back of Le Tissier’s head and fell kindly for her to strike on the volley. Her effort, aimed towards the bottom left corner, was met by a superb save from Tullis-Joyce, who reacted brilliantly to deny the Brazilian.

Image: Manchester City Women

Manchester City came out from the interval with all guns blazing but they were unable to guide the ball past the United defence. City’s best chance of the half came in the 58th minute, when Hasegawa’s free-kick was palmed onto the cross bar by Tullis-Joyce, who recovered quickly enough to conduct a follow-up effort, deflecting Murphy’s header back into play.

Despite dominating the second-half, Manchester City’s depleted squad did not have enough fight left within them to battle for the only piece of silverware they could’ve achieved this season.

Image: Sky Sports

Manchester United will now face Chelsea under the Wembley arch on May 18th – will United be the team to end Chelsea’s dreams of the quadruple?

Line-ups:

Manchester City: Keating, Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri [C], Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Kerolin, Park, Coombs, Murphy, Fowler [4-1-4-1]

Substitutes used: Layzell [25’], Wienroither [82’]

Unused substitutes: Lewis, Oyama, Startup, Yamashita

Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, George, Miyazawa, Bizet, Clinton, Toone, Galton, Terland [4-1-4-1]

Substitutes used: Janssen [69’], Naalsund [82’], Sandberg [82’], Malard [87’], Mannion [97’]

Unused Substitutes: Awujo, Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Williams