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| Event | 2022–23 FA Women's League Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 5 March 2023 | ||||||
| Venue | Selhurst Park, Selhurst | ||||||
| Referee | Kirsty Dowle | ||||||
| Attendance | 19,010 | ||||||
← 2022 2024 → | |||||||
The 2023 FA Women's League Cup Final was the twelfth final of the FA Women's League Cup, England's secondary cup competition for women's football teams and its primary league cup tournament. It took place on 5 March 2023 at Selhurst Park, and was contested by Chelsea and Arsenal.
Chelsea made their fourth consecutive (and fourth overall) appearance in a League Cup final, having lost the previous edition. Five-time winners Arsenal contested their ninth League Cup final and their first since losing in 2020. It was the second time the teams met in a League Cup final.
Arsenal won the match 3–1 and clinched their sixth title.
Route to the final[]
- Main article: 2022–23 FA Women's League Cup
Chelsea[]
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| GS | Bye | |
| QF | Tottenham Hotspur (A) | 3-1 |
| SF | West Ham United (A) | 7–0 |
| Key: (H) = Home; (A) = Away | ||
Chelsea entered the competition in the quarter-finals due to their participation in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
The first of their two matches was a 3–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Last year's runners-up took the lead seven minutes before half-time when Erin Cuthbert's shot was turned in by Kerr from close range. Substitute Fran Kirby coolly flicked in Chelsea's second after the break when she was teed up by Lauren James. Kerr made it 3–0 with a dinked finish late on, before Drew Spence claimed a consolation for Spurs. There were late chances for Tottenham's Bethany England, who joined from Chelsea in January, before Kirby missed a golden opportunity at the other end.
Chelsea then went on to West Ham United thrashing them 7–0 in the semi-final. They were 3-0 up after just 22 minutes, with Kerr scoring twice, either side of a neat Fran Kirby finish. West Ham errors contributed to each goal and their generosity continued to hand Kerr her third, with Hawa Cissoko's stumble allowing the Australian to run clear and slot home. After Lauren James struck a fifth goal, Kerr was again left unmarked to net her fourth before Guro Reiten netted the Blues seventh with a deflected effort.
Arsenal[]
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| GS | Bye | |
| QF | Aston Villa (H) | 3-0 |
| SF | Manchester City (A) | 1–0 (a.e.t.) |
| Key: (H) = Home; (A) = Away | ||
Arsenal entered the competition in the quarter-finals due to their participation in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Arsenal started off their journey by beating Aston Villa 3–0 in the quarter-final. Frida Maanum scored the first with a low strike from 15 yards after 29 minutes. The hosts dominated and, after Maanum's first goal, had chances to increase their lead but Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton twice did well to save shots from Kim Little. But a second goal was coming and a poor throw-in from Villa saw them lose possession with Maanum producing a superb strike for her 10th goal in 15 games. The Norwegian then set up Foord to score the third. Debutant Victoria Pelova had a chance to add a fourth but saw her shot saved by Hampton. Villa's best chances fell to Kirsty Hanson, but she failed to test Canada international goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo, making her Gunners debut after joining from Swedish side Vittsjo GIK earlier this month.
The Gunners took Manchester City to extra time in the semi-final before finally winning the game 1–0. Arsenal had fewer attempts but better chances in a game dependent on swiftness in transitions, pouncing on slack passing to go close through Laura Wienroither, who was thwarted by City goalkeeper Sandy MacIver in the early stages, and Caitlin Foord, who so nearly connected decisively with an inviting Kim Little cross. Head coach Jonas Eidevall's introductions of Steph Catley, Hurtig and Blackstenius early in the second half felt like a statement of intent and left City looking contrastingly short of ideas. Substitute Hurtig had an immediate impact during a rapid exchange of chances, smacking the crossbar with a close-range finish when it looked easier to score. The Gunners could have scored twice in the closing moments of normal time, Blackstenius seeing her shot on the turn thwarted by an exceptional reflex stop by MacIver and Hurtig glancing a header wide of a post. MacIver almost spoiled her impressive display when the stand-in for City regular Ellie Roebuck spilled an innocuous cross, only for captain Alex Greenwood to stop Blackstenius from capitalising in chaotic fashion. Blackstenius pounced on fellow substitute Lina Hurtig's 93rd-minute cross giving Arsenal the 1–0 lead. Filippa Angeldahl's fierce drive after City fell behind then drew a crucial save from Arsenal goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo, who was on high alert behind a stout defensive block as Eidevall's players closed out victory.
Match Report[]
Arsenal fought back to beat Chelsea in the Continental League Cup final and deservedly win their first trophy in four years.
Jonas Eidevall's side trailed within two minutes when Sam Kerr headed Chelsea in front but the Gunners responded and were much the better side at Selhurst Park.
Buoyed by a strong Arsenal following among a record crowd in London, they outplayed and outwitted their long-standing rivals to claim a sixth League Cup.
Striker Stina Blackstenius calmly slotted in the equaliser after Kerr's opener, before Arsenal captain Kim Little netted from the penalty spot to make it 2-1.
The Gunners continued to dominate, although the combination of Kerr and midfielder Guro Reiten provided an ongoing threat for Chelsea, and Eidevall's side extended their lead on the stroke of half-time when the ball deflected off Blues defender Niamh Charles and into her own net from a corner.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes made several tactical changes throughout the match but her side could not find a way back into the game as Arsenal saw out the win.
It is a huge result for Arsenal and coach Eidevall, who has won his first trophy with the club and ended a significant period without silverware for a side who had previously dominated English women's football.
"These are the games we want to play," Eidevall told BBC One.
"To get results creates belief. It was really important to get that reward and now we can be filled with belief for all the games going forward."
Chelsea, on the other hand, have now suffered defeat in back-to-back League Cup finals despite winning three successive Women's Super League titles.
Hayes said: "Everything has to be top class and today it was not at Chelsea standard. Sometimes you have to lose games like this to be reminded."
Having lost 2-0 to Chelsea in the FA Cup last weekend, Arsenal had the worst possible start on Sunday when Kerr's header snuck in under the crossbar to kick-start a mouth-watering final.
Chelsea have had Arsenal's number in recent years, going unbeaten in their past five meetings - all of which have come since Eidevall moved to London.
And it was Chelsea's supremacy in this fixture - and in domestic cup finals - which dominated the pre-match build-up.
Chelsea have taken over from Arsenal as England's leading club during Hayes' tenure, but this was a display from the Gunners which brought back memories of their golden era.
Eidevall's tactics were planned to perfection as his side tore through Chelsea in the first half, using width to great effect and showing a steely side they have missed on too many occasions this season.
Blackstenius, criticised of late for her lack of ruthlessness in front of goal, answered her critics with a composed finish for the crucial equaliser and the outstanding Little also got on the scoresheet.
The third goal sealed the win on the stroke of half-time and Arsenal showed resilience to hold on after the break, reminiscent of their successful teams of old.
"We had to break the chain at some point and today was that day," Leah Williamson, the Arsenal defender and England captain, said.
"It meant a lot more to us. Arsenal should be winning trophies and that started again today."
There were jubilant scenes at full-time as Arsenal's players ran hand-in-hand to their supporters to celebrate as 'Sweet Caroline' rang out at Selhurst Park, where the 19,010 in attendance beat the 8,004 record set at last year's final.
Chelsea, who are not used to losing, threw everything at Arsenal in the final 10 minutes but could not find a breakthrough and will return their attentions to the WSL and FA Cup, hoping to defend both titles.
Match[]
Details[]
| 5 March 2023 15:00 GMT |
Chelsea | 1–3 | Arsenal | Selhurst Park Attendance: 19,010 Referee: Kirsty Dowle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Kerr  2'
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Report | Blackstenius 16' Little 24' (pen.)Charles 45+5' (o.g.)
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          Arsenal
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     Chelsea
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Match Stats[]
| Overall | ||
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 3 | 1 |
| Total shots | 8 | 14 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 5 |
| Ball possession | 50% | 50% |
| Corner kicks | 8 | 3 |
| Fouls committed | 11 | 12 |
External links[]
| FA Women's League Cup |
| Seasons |
| 2020–21 · 2021–22 · 2022–23 · 2023–24 · 2024–25 · 2025–26 · |
| Finals |
| 2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · |
 2022–23 in English women's football
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| League competitions |
| Super League · Championship · FA Women's National League (Premier Division · North · South) · (Division One · North · Midlands · South East · South West) |
| Cup competitions |
| FA Cup (Final) · League Cup (Final) · UEFA Champions League |
| National teams |
| Senior (2023 FIFA Women's World Cup finals, qualifying round, 2023 Arnold Clark Cup) · U21 · U19 (UEFA Euro 2023 finals, qualifying round) · U17 (UEFA Euro 2023 finals, qualifying round) |
| Club seasons |
| Women's Super League |
| Arsenal · |
| 2021–22 2023–24 |
| England
|
