Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (AET): Player ratings as Blackstenius wins Conti Cup for Gunners in extra-time
Women's Football
Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (AET): Player ratings as Blackstenius wins Conti Cup for Gunners in extra-time
Arsenal retain Conti Cup with 1-0 victory against Chelsea in final
Stina Blackstenius with extra-time goal to secure victory for Gunners
Frida Maanum taken off after collapsing in the 96th minute but now in stable condition
By Sean Walsh
6:09 PM GMT+1
Blackstenius came up with the winner
Blackstenius came up with the winner / James Baylis - AMA/GettyImages
Arsenal retained the Conti Cup with a 1-0 victory against Chelsea after extra-time at Molineux on Sunday.
The Blues were dealt a third-successive Conti Cup final loss and were unable to avenge last year's defeat to the Gunners at Selhurst Park, ensuring Emma Hayes won't sign off as manager with a quadruple.
The game was marred by Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum collapsing with no one around her deep into second-half added time, with a lengthy stoppage required to give her medical attention and then remove her from the pitch. She is now stable and conscious.
How the game unfolded
Chelsea went close to taking an early lead when Lauren James beat Leah Williamson to a loose ball and made a dart into the 18-yard box, forcing a save out of Manuela Zinsberger at the near post.
With their next meaningful attack, the Blues thought they went in front. Hannah Hampton's long kick forward was never properly dealt with by Arsenal, and Erin Cuthbert teed up Mayra Ramirez to fire in from just outside the box. However, Cuthbert handled the ball in the build up and the goal was chalked off.
That disallowed goal seemed to kick Arsenal into life, with Hampton forced into a string of fine saves, including one to deny Katie McCabe's 25-yard piledriver. From the resulting corner, Lotte Wubben-Moy fired a fierce half-volley narrowly wide.
The final became much cagier after the break, with neither side creating another opening until the 66th minute when Cloe Lacasse forced a low save out of Hampton at the end of a quick Arsenal break.
With five minutes remaining, Zinsberger came up with another top stop to keep out James after being freed in behind by Guro Reiten, with the Arsenal goalkeeper this time getting down low to deny the mercurial forward.
The match went to extra-time following an extended period of added time at the end of the second half after medical staff tended to Maanum after falling ill.
Katie McCabe spurned a great chance to nod Arsenal ahead towards the end of extra-time's first half, heading wide from a gorgeous Steph Catley cross.
Almost straight from kick-off for the second half Stina Blackstenius lashed over a half-volley from the edge of the box.
Kadeisha Buchanan then produced a stunning block to deny Caitlin Foord after she drove away from Jess Carter and went for the near post of Hampton's goal.
With penalties looming, Arsenal snatched the victory. Foord again ghosted in from the left and cut back for Blackstenius, who this time bundled away from Cuthbert and made no mistake, finding the bottom corner and winning the cup.
Arsenal player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Steph Catley, Johanna Kaneryd
Catley made a difference / James Baylis - AMA/GettyImages
GK: Manuela Zinsberger - 7/10 - A much-improved performance than in her most recent showing against Chelsea, thwarting the advances of James and co.
RB: Emily Fox - 7/10 - Excelled at both ends of the pitch and Arsenal needed her dynamism to stay afloat.
CB: Leah Williamson - 5/10 - Didn't look too comfortable in her one half of action and was brought off at half-time.
CB: Lotte Wubben-Moy - 8/10 - A proper, proper centre-back's performance. Stepped up when Arsenal were wilting early on and provided them the base for victory.
LB: Katie McCabe - 5/10 - Was unable to get involved a lot until later on in the game when she was afforded more chances to get forward, skewing a header wide with her final action on the pitch.
CM: Kim Little - 6/10 - Adventured forward on occasion but was a little more reserved than usual.
CM: Victoria Pelova - 7/10 - Likewise was tasked with maintaining balance in the middle but also dug in defensively and Arsenal benefitted for this selflessness.
RW: Beth Mead - 5/10 - Failed to make much of a tangible impact up against one of the very best around in Charles.
AM: Frida Maanum - 7/10 - One of the final's geniuses prior to collapsing late in the second half.
LW: Cloe Lacasse - 6/10 - Proved a useful threat on the counter but lacked the clinical edge Arsenal were sorely lacking in her 72 minutes on the pitch.
CF: Stina Blackstenius - 8/10 - Never relented and eventually found her just reward for a strong and tireless display.
Substitutes
SUB: Laia Codina (46' for Williamson) - 6/10 - Arsenal looked more settled after Codina's introduction but this seemed to be down to the natural flow of the game.
SUB: Caitlin Foord (72' for Lacasse) - 8/10
SUB: Steph Catley (84' for Mead) - 7/10
SUB: Alessia Russo (90' for Maanum) - 6/10
SUB: Kyra Cooney-Cross (106' for McCabe) - 7/10
Subs not used: Sabrina D'Angelo (GK), Naomi Williams (GK), Laura Wienroither,Vivienne Lia
Manager
Jonas Eidevall - 8/10 - Arsenal looked streets ahead of the sorry team that rocked up to Chelsea only a few weeks ago. A true cup-final performance.
Chelsea player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Stina Blackstenius
Chelsea were punished for failing to clear their lines / Copa/GettyImages
GK: Hannah Hampton - 7/10 - Had to produce several fine saves to keep Arsenal at bay but her efforts proved futile in the end.
RB: Eve Perisset - 5/10 - Arsenal had a lot of joy getting in down Perisset's flank, with the winning goal eventually coming from that side.
CB: Jess Carter - 6/10 - Defended well for the most part but lost her authority as a long match wore on.
CB: Kadeisha Buchanan - 7/10 - Chelsea needed Buchanan to come up with a series of blocks and tackles to take the game as far as they did.
LB: Niamh Charles - 7/10 - Took Mead out of the game but had a tougher job once Arsenal threw several fresh faces at her.
CM: Erin Cuthbert - 5/10 - Played her usual game but ultimately cost Chelsea with the handball for the disallowed goal and was then outmuscled by Blackstenius for the decider.
CM: Melanie Leupolz - 6/10 - Began the day brightly but faded pretty quickly once Arsenal wrestled back control.
RW: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd - 6/10 - Carved out a few openings down the right before Chelsea were smothered.
AM: Sjoeke Nusken - 5/10 - Proved ever so decisive when these two sides met recently at Stamford Bridge but found it harder to stamp her authority on this encounter.
LW: Lauren James - 6/10 - Chelsea's main source of inspiration, though was unable to come up with a telling goal for her efforts.
CF: Mayra Ramirez - 5/10 - Cruelly denied a stunning opener, but that was the only notable time she got involved in a tight and nervy game.
Substitutes
SUB: Guro Reiten (76' for Ramirez) - 6/10
SUB: Catarina Macario (96' for Nusken) - 6/10
SUB: Aggie Beever-Jones (119' for James) - N/A
Subs not used: Zecira Musovic (GK), Ann-Katrin Berger (GK), Sophie Ingle, Ashley Lawrence, Fran Kirby, Maika Hamano
Manager
Emma Hayes - 5/10 - Chelsea should have taken advantage of their early dominance and were made to pay for lacking bravery as the game progressed.
Player of the match - Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal)
