Foord, Catley star as Arsenal stun Chelsea in League Cup final

Australian internationals Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley have helped Arsenal’s women to their first silverware in four years as the north Londoners shocked Chelsea 3-1 in a frantic Continental Cup final in front of a sold-out Selhurst Park on Sunday.

Foord and Catley were outstanding as Arsenal used the League Cup decider to reverse the result of last weekend’s fifth-round FA Cup tie that saw Chelsea send their London rivals packing.

Sam Kerr heads home within the first two minutes of the Continental Cup final against Arsenal.Credit:Getty Images

Sam Kerr got Chelsea off to a flyer, heading a Guro Reiten cross home within the first two minutes, but that lead was cancelled out just over 10 minutes later when Stina Blackstenius drove low and hard past Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger.

A solid period of Arsenal domination followed, culminating in Katie McCabe drawing a foul from Sophie Ingle inside the box. Kim Little converted the penalty to give Arsenal a 2-1 lead.

Arsenal, matching Chelsea’s high tempo, had their London rivals rattled – and it got even worse for Emma Hayes’ side when an in-swinging corner just moments before the half-time whistle found Chelsea defender Niamh Charles’ head to gift Arsenal an own goal and a 3-1 lead at the break.

Caitlin Foord (right) and her Arsenal teammates celebrate Stina Blackstenius’ goal.Credit:Getty Images

Catley was exceptional for Arsenal in the first half, proving a rock in defence and effectively marking Chelsea’s rising star Lauren James out of the match.

Foord was unlucky not to have drawn another penalty for Arsenal just on 60 minutes when Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan appeared to trip her inside the box. Missed by the assistant referee – and with no VAR in use – play continued.

Hayes rang the changes both before and after half-time, but it made little difference, Arsenal neutralising a series of late Chelsea attacks.

“I think there was complacency in the performance – we’ve won a lot, they haven’t and today they wanted it more than us,” Hayes told the BBC post-match.

Arsenal’s Katie McCabe draws the foul from Chelsea’s Sophie Ingle inside the box.Credit:Getty Images

The result will relieve pressure on Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall, whose club – with the most prolific record in the English women’s game – had not won a trophy in four years.

“The efficiency is one aspect [that made the difference today],” Eidevall said.

“We had so much more intent today with our runs and that creates a lot of situations. That’s what we were missing last Sunday.”

“To get results creates belief. It was important to get that result today and we can then be filled with belief for all the games going forward.”

Arsenal – trailing in fourth place – have struggled to overcome the dominance of the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea in the Women’s Super League, but their pursuit of more titles is alive in the Champions League. They play Bayern Munich in a first-leg quarter-final showdown on March 21. Chelsea will play French powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais a day later.

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