Khadija Shaw put speculation over her future to one side to send Manchester City into the Women’s FA Cup final as they came from 2-0 down to beat defending champions Chelsea 3-2 after extra-time.
City were confirmed as Women’s Super League champions on Monday, ending a decade-long title drought, but a domestic double looked to be drifting away after Erin Cuthbert and Sam Kerr scored for Chelsea.
But Mary Fowler clawed one back in the 87th minute and Shaw levelled for City in added time with a fine volley on the turn before heading home from Yui Hasegawa’s cross in the additional half-hour.
Shaw, out of contract at the end of the season, has been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and the Jamaica forward gave her possible new employers a flavour of what she offers.
Chelsea were left to rue a strike from Kerr being ruled out after the assistant referee incorrectly flagged the ball had gone out of play before Ellie Carpenter’s cross to the Australian.
Had it stood Chelsea would have been 2-0 up in 10 minutes while deep into extra-time, Sjoeke Nusken’s header was clawed onto the bar by Khiara Keating as City set up a final showdown against Brighton.
Brighton beat Liverpool reach final for first time
Substitute Nadine Noordam struck a dramatic injury-time winner as Brighton reached the Women’s FA Cup final for the first time by battling back from two goals down to beat Liverpool 3-2 in St Helens.
The Reds, who are three-time runners-up, were on course for Wembley following first-half goals from Denise O’Sullivan and Beata Olsson.
But Albion levelled through Manuela Vanegas and Madison Haley before Dutch midfielder Noordam completed the comeback in the fifth minute of added time to set up a meeting with City on Sunday May 31.
Brighton faced an uphill task after Liverpool midfielder O’Sullivan glanced home a cross from Ceri Holland in the 11th minute and Reds top scorer Olsson capitalised on sloppy defending by firing into the top corner to double the lead.
Albion immediately pulled one back through a close-range finish from Colombia defender Vanegas and then equalised nine minutes into the second half when American forward Haley headed in a right-wing cross from Kiko Seike.
With extra-time looming, Seagulls goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie produced crucial saves to deny Liverpool pair Aurelie Csillag and Cornelia Kapocs before Noordam lashed home her first goal for the club, just six minutes after replacing Fran Kirby.
