Crystal Palace 0 – 2 Women – Match Report

We reached the semi-finals of the Subway Women’s League Cup with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Laia Codina gave us the lead and Stina Blackstenius added our second goal late in the match.

The next round hosts the winner of Manchester United against Tottenham Hotspur at the Mangata Developments Stadium in Borehamwood on the weekend of January 21.

FIRST HALF

Kyra Cooney-Cross’s corners caused Palace a few problems throughout the match, the first ending up at the feet of Caitlin Foord, who hooked the ball at the far post only to see the offside flag raised.

Foord then ran down the left and played it inside to Frida Maanum, who went for goal powerfully, but it took a deflection away from the post.

The following Cooney-Cross corner was taken by Victoria Pelova, but Jessica Yanez was the first to do so with Maanum fighting for a header.

At the other end, Palace scored the first goal as Annabel Blanchard’s free-kick went just over the bar.

Moments later, Foord pulled it back for Maanum and his first effort was pushed away for a corner, and it was from this Cooney-Cross delivery that Codina fired the ball across goal and into the back of the net via a deflection.

The home side should have equalized straight away as Ashleigh Weerden’s cross was palmed back onto the post by Abbie Larkin from close range.

Emily Fox was next to try her luck from distance, shooting over the bar.

Continuing our chase for a second, Foord’s cross was narrowly diverted by Allyson Swaby. The next corner came to McCabe, who struck on the volley.

Larkin tested Borbe’s reflexes with an effort from distance, our goalkeeper diving to his right to make a good save, but Palace continued to look dangerous as Larkin charged down the right and curled one over the crossbar.

McCabe’s inside free-kick, headed into the roof of the net by Leah Williamson, was the final moment of the action and we went into the break with a goal in hand.

SECOND HALF

Palace thought they had an opening early in the second half as Weerden pressed the ball just behind the far post, but the flag went up for offside.

McCabe’s corner was then headed in by Blackstenius, before we made a triple change with Steph Catley, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Kim Little replacing Williamson, Codina and Pelova.

Catley did well to step back and block Larkin’s cross from the right with Palace on the counter-attack. The next corner was played to Larkin on the edge of the area and she shot straight at Borbe.

Foord fired low left from the edge of the box in the 74th minute, before a powerful Maanum effort was blocked by Swaby and headed behind for a corner.

Beth Mead then made her 250th appearance for Arsenal, replacing Olivia Smith.

Foord and McCabe both saw their shots blocked late on, and it was in the 93rd minute that Mead slotted through on goal and rounded the goalkeeper before unselfishly pulling it back for Blackstenius to bury it.

WHAT’S NEXT

That’s all for 2025! We will return to the Emirates Stadium on January 10 for the visit of Manchester United in the Barclays Women’s Super League. Kick-off is at 12:30 p.m.

Then we return to the Mangata Developments Stadium in Borehamwood for the Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round match against Aston Villa at 2pm on January 18.