Objectives from Sophie Ingle and Sam Kerr noticed Ladies’s FA Cup holders Chelsea into the quarter-finals, beating a wasteful Arsenal 2-0 at Kingsmeadow.

The match pitted two of the Ladies’s Tremendous League’s heavyweights towards one another in an early spherical, additionally serving as a preview of subsequent Sunday’s Conti Cup closing between the 2 sides at Selhurst Park.

However Arsenal might want to sharpen their ending if they’re to elevate their first silverware since 2019, having wasted probability after probability in south west London.

Nonetheless, the tie confirmed as soon as once more simply how potent Chelsea are, even when they aren’t taking part in their finest. Sophie Ingle scored within the twenty first minute through the left publish, simply after Stina Blackstenius had lifted the ball over the crossbar in one among three gilt-edged Gunners probability within the first half.

Arsenal dominated a lot of the second interval too, however Sam Kerr – making her one hundredth Chelsea look – tapped residence 11 minutes after the restart to ship the reigning champions into the final eight.

Regardless of their finest efforts, the Gunners had been unable to discover a reply, whereas Chelsea proceed their march in the direction of a 3rd successive FA Cup trophy.

How Chelsea noticed off wasteful Arsenal

The pendulum swung in each instructions early on, however Arsenal noticed the higher probabilities fall their approach.

A cross into the realm from Caitlin Foord deflected off Blackstenius, inflicting a defensive mix-up between Ann-Katrin Berger and Magda Eriksson. The ball seemed to be rolling into an open internet, however Niamh Charles raced again to hack it off the road.

Quickly after, Leah Williamson’s lengthy ball was nodded on by Maanum, with Blackstenius muscling forward of Eriksson to gather. Nonetheless, she lifted her effort nicely over the crossbar.

Three minutes later, Chelsea had been forward. Lauren James drifted in from the fitting wing with no Arsenal strain, earlier than squaring the ball for Ingle on the prime of the realm. She then fired residence through the left publish to see the FA Cup holders forward.

It was a frantic finish to the half too as Arsenal noticed two extra big probabilities go them by. Within the thirty eighth minute, Blackstenius’ run was picked out by a protracted ball from Foord. She drove down the left of the realm however her squared ball was simply missed by Maanum’s outstretched foot.

After Manuela Zinsberger made an acrobatic cease to maintain out Jelena Cankovic’s strike, the Gunners went shut once more. Katie McCabe’s strike was fumbled away by Berger, however the goalkeeper reacted nicely to then smother the ball away from the toes of the incoming Foord, who solely wanted to elevate it over the goalkeeper.

Chelsea added their second towards the run of play 11 minutes after the break. It was a pleasant throughball from Cankovic that slotted Kerr by means of and she or he simply tapped previous Zinsberger, who had dedicated herself too early.

Arsenal’s lack of luck was epitomised within the 66th minute. After a sensational run from Foord, spinning previous Eve Perisset on the left, her cross deflected off Blackstenius and onto Eriksson. Nonetheless, the Chelsea captain’s contact hit Berger within the face from shut vary earlier than being cleared. Blackstenius too was flagged for offside.

The Gunners continued to press for targets because the half continued, however appeared to ship the whole lot at Berger because the goalkeeper helped information Chelsea into the subsequent spherical.

What’s subsequent?

Chelsea’s subsequent recreation is once more at residence to Arsenal, with this assembly coming within the Conti Cup on Sunday; kick-off 3pm. Emma Hayes’ aspect then host Brighton within the WSL on Wednesday March 8, dwell on Sky Sports activities; kick-off 7.30pm.

After their journey to Selhurst Park on Sunday, Arsenal host Liverpool within the WSL on Wednesday March 8; kick-off 7.15pm.