 | |||||||
| Event | 2011–12 FA Women's Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Birmingham City won 3–2 onpenalties | |||||||
| Date | 26 May 2012 | ||||||
| Venue | Ashton Gate,Bristol | ||||||
| Player of the Match | Karen Carney (Birmingham City)[1] | ||||||
| Referee | Natalie Walker (Lancashire)[2] | ||||||
| Attendance | 8,723[3] | ||||||
←2011 2013 → | |||||||
The2012 FA Women's Cup final was the 42nd final of theFA Women's Cup.[4] 276 clubs competed for the years trophy.[5] The winners did not qualify for theUEFA Women's Champions League.[6]
Birmingham City, beatChelsea 3–2 in apenalty shoot-out after a 2–2 draw in the final atAshton Gate.[7]
The match was televised live bySky Sports 2. The channel's decision to switch the transmission of the penalty shoot-out to behind thered button was criticised and described as embarrassing.[8] The attendance of 8,723 was the lowest at the FA Women's Cup final since 2005.[9] Entertainment at the final included a half time performance fromThe Risk, aboy band who had finished 10th in the previous year's edition ofThe X Factor.[10]
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | Liverpool (h) | 3–0 |
| 6th | Sunderland (h) | 4–0 |
| SF | Bristol Academy (n) | 4–1 |
As anFA WSL team, Birmingham City entered the competition in the fifth round, where they were drawn at home toLiverpool. They were rewarded for their first half performance on 26 minutes, whenJodie Taylor struck to put them a goal up. It was 2-0 just moments later after the half-time though, whenLiverpool's goalieAroon Clansey rushed from her line to denyCarney, only to see her header fall toIsobel Christiansen, who showed terrific instincts to volley into the unguarded net from around 35 yards out. With seconds left, the home side did increase their lead when aChelsea Weston pass found its way to substituteMaz Ballard, who touched the ball past Clansey before poking the ball into the empty net from close range, to give Birmingham a 3-0 win.[11]
Birmingham facedSunderland in the sixth round at Stratford Town.Kerys Harrop scored in the 22nd minute to give Birmingham the lead. Taylor very nearly bagged a second moments later – only for her goal-bound attempt to be saved by Sunderland 'keeperRachael Laws. The hosts were able to coast through the remainder of the first-half, but still had the appetite for a third goal courtesy of Harrop. With Blues fully in control,Eniola Aluko added a fourth after 83 minutes, to give Birmingham a 4-0 victory.[12]
Bristol Academy were the opponents in the semi-final, held atTamworth.[13] Birmingham made the best possible start at Tamworth FC – taking the lead throughRachel William's header on nine minutes. An eventful start produced more drama shortly afterwards the opener, when Carney's goal-bound corner was handled on the line by Bristol Academy'sAlex Culvin, leaving the referee no option but to brandish a red card. TheVixens were lucky not to receive further punishment, however, due to Williams hacking the resulting penalty wide. WithDavid Parker's side firmly in the ascendancy, there was little action to speak of in the remainder of the first-half, that was until Carney bagged two quick fire braces shortly before the break. Williams' second was equally as emphatic – smashing home Jodie Taylor's looping cross.Mark Sampson's team grabbed a consolation courtesy ofLaura del Río's strike late on, but this couldn’t take the gloss off a memorable day for the Ladies, but Birmingham secure their place in the final for the first time in theFA Women's Cup history.[14]
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | Brighton & Hove Albion (h) | 3–0 |
| 6th | Doncaster Rovers Belles (a) | 0–2 |
| SF | Arsenal (n) | 2–0 |
Chelsea – also a FA WSL team – entered the competition in the fifth round too. Their opening match was a 3–0 home win againstBrighton & Hove Albion. After a goalless first halfDunia Susi struck early in the second, beforeHelen Bleazard andSue Lappin scored to give Chelsea a 3–0 win.[15]
Chelsea were drawn to play at away againstDoncaster Rovers Belles in the sixth round. FromSophie Ingle's corner kick, her high delivery was met at the far post byGemma Bonner, who prodded home from a yard out to give Chelsea the advantage. FromDanielle Buet's delivery, Bonner flicked onto Susi, who was not to be denied, meeting the ball with a powerful header into the top corner to secure Chelsea's place in the final four with a 2-0 win.[16]
Chelsea facedArsenal in the semi-final atBrentford.[17] Chelsea took the lead in stunning fashion midway through the first half. Winning the ball on the halfway line, winger Bleazard drove in from the left, before unleashing a superb 25-yard drive into the top corner to give the Blues the advantage. Stand-in skipper Susi almost doubled the Blues' advantage after racing clear to meet Dani Buet's through-ball, forcingEmma Byrne into a low save, and Chelsea also secure their place in the final for the first time in theFA Women's Cup history.[18]
The event represented a first final appearance for either club, as well as the first time the match had been held inBristol.[19]
Helen Lander putChelsea ahead in the 70th minute courtesy of a neat turn and finish and it looked for a long time that this solitary goal would be enough for glory, butRachel Williams equalised in the 91st minute after Chelsea failed to clear aKaren Carney corner. The Londoners retook the lead in the first half of extra time through substituteKate Longhurst, but the Blues bounced back once more when Carney converted a centrally-placed free-kick on the edge of the box. This goal forced the penalty shoot-out which they would eventually triumph in. Williams saw her kick saved byCarly Telford butRachel Unitt,Jodie Taylor and Karen Carney all converted for the Midlanders. Chelsea'sDrew Spence saw her penalty saved byRebecca Spencer,Claire Rafferty hooked her penalty wide andGemma Bonner blazed hers over the bar to handThe Cup toBirmingham.[3]
| Birmingham City | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
Williams 90+1'Carney 112' | Report | Lander 70' Longhurst 101' |
| Penalties | ||
Williams Unitt  Taylor Carney | 3–2 | SherwoodSpenceRaffertyBuetBonner |
       Birmingham City |      Chelsea |
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Player of the match
Match officials
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