Manchester City sealed a domestic double after Khadija Shaw and Alex Greenwood inspired the Women’s Super League champions to a 4-0 victory over Brighton in their Wembley FA Cup final.
Jamaica striker Shaw, the WSL’s Golden Boot winner for three straight seasons, nodded home Greenwood’s cross in the 38th minute – her first goal since announcing a four-year contract extension on Monday.
Captain Greenwood made it two from a stoppage-time free-kick to double their lead before the break, despite a very promising opening half from first-time FA Cup finalists Brighton, in search of a maiden major trophy.
Aoba Fujino added a third in the 66th minute, and second-half substitute Vivianne Miedema marked her return to Andree Jeglertz’s line-up for the first time since March with their fourth to put their 400th competitive match as a professional side to bed.
Three-time FA Cup champions City were appearing in their fifth final, and their first since losing to Chelsea in extra time four years ago.
Goalkeeper Khiara Keating, called up to Sarina Wiegman’s England squad on Wednesday, was unavailable after sustaining an injury in training earlier in the week, so it was Ayaka Yamashita between the posts for City.
Brighton showed intent from the start, and City nearly got themselves into trouble when Jade Rose left the ball for her keeper, oblivious to the threat of the lurking Madison Haley, who then collided with Yamashita.
Yamashita stayed down and the ball came out to Marisa Olislagers, who fired at the open goal but was denied an opener by Greenwood’s clearance off the line.
Brighton keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was called into action with a smart save, but the Seagulls dominated the following 10 minutes, though they were too tentative and could not make their chances count.
City came to life after the half hour, testing Nnadozie before Shaw broke the deadlock with five minutes remaining in the first half, instigated by Greenwood’s lovely looped delivery and beating the rising keeper to plant home a header.
Greenwood then took matters into her own hands, curling a free-kick into the bottom-right corner in the sixth minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half.
City were three goals to the good in the 66th minute. A well-worked move saw Shaw cut the ball back to Miedema, who laid it off for the Japan international to curl home.
Miedema, out since late March for personal reasons, and whose mother is battling cancer, nodded home City’s fourth with three minutes remaining in normal time to wrap up the win.
PA
