Chelsea Women’s football team celebrated a historic achievement by clinching the Women’s FA Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory against Manchester United Women at Wembley. This victory would prove to be their last cup victory. It cemented them as the first men’s team to ever go through a domestic season unbeaten, icing on the cake of an already loaded trophy cabinet. The game played out on the afternoon of Sunday, May 14, 2023. It was an appropriate ending to a wonderful season by the European club champions from London.
Sandy Baltimore was the star of the show, and in particular her skill and resolve helped Chelsea get themselves out of trouble. In total, she scored two goals and delivered an assist, flaunting her gifted playmaking abilities for the duration of the contest. Baltimore’s first goal came from the penalty spot, while her second was a stunning effort that highlighted her quality as a player. Her leadership on and off the pitch proved invaluable as the team went on to win the FA Cup. They further set her up to be the team’s breakout star in her rookie season.
Sandy Baltimore’s Stellar Performance
Sandy Baltimore helped Chelsea put on the best game of her life, contributing to three goals. This is her best performance to date by a mile! She scored two goals and set up a bunch of others. She led the league in shots and crosses, illustrating her offensive ability.
With just seconds remaining in the game, Baltimore capped her outing. She capped off an impressive individual performance by scoring Chelsea’s eighth and final goal during added time. This goal not only put the icing on the cake of Chelsea’s dominance in the final, but highlighted her poise under pressure.
“It’s a very emotional day. It’s a trophy we always wanted to win. We wanted to win a treble. It’s been a hard season for me personally, so it’s a special day to be at Wembley and to win means a lot.” – Catarina Macario
Baltimore’s involvement was crucial from the outset. She was involved in every aspect of Chelsea’s opening goal. With a perfectly executed free-kick, she found the head of Catarina Macario, who flicked it on past the keeper. The quick goal changed the entire dynamics of the game right from the start. This made it easy for Chelsea to take the initiative and force more goal-scoring opportunities.
Unbeaten Domestic Season
Chelsea Women concluded their domestic season yesterday, after an equally dominant showing. They were celebrating winning the Women’s Super League (WSL) title a mere week prior to their cup glory. They recorded an almost incomprehensible feat by completing a 22-game league campaign undefeated. This incredible accomplishment is a testament to their all-out focus and grit.
Erin Cuthbert reflected on the team’s journey this season, stating, “It tops off a brilliant season. I’m so proud of the group. A lot of hard work’s gone into this. To win in the fashion we did, we were holding on a bit at 1-0 but the second goal puts the game to bed.”
The triumph at Wembley capped what has been a truly remarkable season for Chelsea. Our team showed tremendous heart and beautiful creativity. These qualities have defined their style of play since manager Sonia Bompastor took over last season.
Reactions from Coaches and Players
Manchester United Women head coach, Marc Skinner, speaking after his team lost 3-1 to Chelsea in the final, admitted his opponents were strong. When that pressure gets too intense, he continued, that can prevent us from getting off the ground in the first place as we originally planned. Then, buoyed by newly found confidence, we righted the ship. I thought the first ten minutes, we were the worse team, but after that ten, I thought we really are the better team. We just had to be the better team. We went on to deserveingly win, and we dominated the game for nearly the entire 90 minutes.
Bompastor was proud of her team’s achievement, focusing on the emotional importance of raising another piece of silverware. “The feelings are great. Sometimes it is difficult to describe them with words, but yes, it feels really great. Again, this season has been tough,” she said.
Catarina Macario and Erin Cuthbert found a personal resonance in the win. Those two issues aside, they conveyed their pride and fulfillment having recently achieved this important milestone in their professional lives.
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