Manchester United 3 Brighton and Hove Albion 2
Rachel Williams’s 89th-minute winner sent Manchester United into the Women’s FA Cup final as they came from behind to beat Brighton and Hove Albion 3-2.
Second-half goals from Leah Galton and Alessia Russo turned the game in United’s favour after Mary Earps’s own goal had put Brighton in front. Danielle Carter then levelled for Albion.
However, Williams held her nerve at the death to convert Katie Zelem’s pass and seal United’s place in their first Women’s FA Cup final.
After a 4-0 win over Brighton in the Women’s Super League earlier this month, table-topping United were the clear favourites going into the tie at Leigh Sports Village.
But Albion went in front after 36 minutes. Veatriki Sarri raced down the left and sent in a cross which was palmed by England goalkeeper Earps into her own goal.
Galton equalised two minutes after the restart with a close-range finish and Russo completed the turnaround in the 71st minute, running on to a well-weighted pass from Zelem before firing a shot into the top corner.
Brighton refused to give up and Carter’s persistence forced a mistake from Millie Turner and the forward capitalised on it.
United piled on late pressure and it paid off when Zelem grabbed her second assist of the game to send Williams through one-on-one with the keeper and her cool finish settled the contest.
