Key events
“When Chelsea scored the opener, I feared a collapse was on,” says Kári Tulinius, “but the whole of the Arsenal team showed admirable calmness and poise. I don’t think anyone can be singled out, this has been an immense team effort.”
I agree with you. Kim Little though.
As the Arsenal players cavort in front of their fans, Emma Hayes addresses her huddled Chelsea team. It’s a repeat of last year’s Conti Cup final – 1-0 up, 3-1 down – and that season ended well enough for Chelsea. They’ve still got loads to play for.
Arsenal have won the Continental Cup for the sixth time, and the first since 2018. Jonas Eidevall has a big smile plastered across his face, and the players – well, those who aren’t utterly shattered like Kim Little – are beaming similarly.
All trophy wins are drenched in glory, but the manner of this – and the pain they have suffered in the last four years since their last triumph – makes this more glorious than most. Time will tell whether it’s a one-off or the start of something more profound. But that can wait for another day. Arsenal have some celebrating to do.
Full time: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
Peep peep! It’s a glorious day for Arsenal. They’ve won their first trophy since 2019 and they’ve done so by emphatically outplaying the best team in England. Not only that, they recovered from going 1-0 down inside two minutes to their nemesis Sam Kerr.
It would have been so easy to accept that some things aren’t meant to be, but Arsenal were having none of it. They produced a marvellous performance, surely their best under Jonas Eidevall, with a desire, intensity and precision that was just too much for Chelsea.
Kim Little and Frida Maanum were sensational in midfield, while Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord ran themselves into the ground up front. Steph Catley also had a blinder at left-back. Ach, they were all great. You don’t hammer Chelsea unless everyone turns up, and that’s what Arsenal have done.
90+3 min Perisset’s wobbling long-range shot is pushed away uncomfortably by Zinsberger, falling to her left.
90+2 min Reiten has a stinging shot blocked, then Kerr’s cross is too close to Zinsberger. Chelsea are pressing now, but it’s too much too little too late.
90 min After a series of crosses into the Arsenal area, Leupolz hacks over from the edge of the area. Arsenal are surely there now.
88 min: Leupolz hits the bar! Leupolz’s mishit cross from miles out on the right is palmed onto the bar by Zinsberger! That would have made things seriously interesting.
88 min: Arsenal substitution Jen Beattie replaces the brilliant Stina Blackstenius, who scored the equaliser and gave the Chelsea defence 88 minutes of misery.
87 min With Bright now playing at centre-forward, Perisset has to make an important last-woman challenge on Foord.
86 min The outstanding Maanum wins the ball off Cuthbert, surges forward and hits a shot that deflects through to Berger.
85 min “We’re in a final, with a great opportunity, so let’s seize the day,” said Eidevall before the game, and have they ever.
84 min Zinsberger is down receiving treatment, which allows Jonas Eidevall to have one last tactical chat.
83 min James is booked for pulling back Pelova.
82 min Arsenal break three on two when Blackstenius wins the ball off Bright. Pelova is held up by Leupolz, and eventually the danger passes. The Arsenal players who started this game look shattered.
80 min Fleming’s cross is too deep for Kerr, and the flag was up anyway. But Arsenal, who have given so much to this game, look like they are suffering a sudden energy crash.
79 min James, suddenly looking dangerous, is fouled on the left wing by Wienroither. Reiten takes it short to James, who cuts inside… and smashes over the bar from a tight angle. Not sure that was the best option; in fact, I know it wasn’t.
77 min: Substitution for Chelsea Jessie Fleming for Magda Eriksson, which means Chelsea have switched to a back four, although effectively it’s a back two.
77 min James beats Wienroither thrillingly on the left and lifts a cross towards Kerr that is headed away superbly by Rafaelle. That leads to a bit of a scramble in the Arsenal area, but they are able to stand firm.
75 min Perisset’s cross is too close to Zinsberger. You’d never write off a team like Chelsea, but at this precise, exact, particular moment in time, they don’t look like scoring.
73 min The official attendance is 19,010, which is about 11,000 more than the previous record for a Continental Cup final.
72 min It’s easy to criticise Chelsea’s performance, which by their standards has been ragged, but it does feel like most of the errors have been enforced. So many of Arsenal’s attacking players- Little, Blackstenius and Maanum in particular – have been immense
71 min: Good save by Zinsberger! Catley’s awkward clearance goes to Leupolz, 25 yards from goal. She takes a touch and cuts across a cracking shot that is pushed away by Zinsberger, diving to her left.
70 min: Substitution for Arsenal Laura Wienroither replaces Noelle Maritz at right-back.
69 min Bright is lucky to avoid a yellow card after wiping out Blackstenius. Chelsea’s defensive players have had a torrid time this afternoon, and their brains look scrambled.
67 min Maanum’s shot hits Bright and flies behind for another corner. Chelsea had a decent spell but now they are being pinned back again.
64 min Walti plays a marvellous pass inside Perisset to release Catley on the left, and her low cross is crucially cut out by the stretching Buchanan at the near post. Arsenal have played so well today.
64 min: Substitution for Chelsea Johanna Kaneryd replaces Sophie Ingle, who had a difficult day fighting fires in midfield.
63 min If Arsenal don’t win this, we’ll hear plenty about that decision.
61 min: Penalty appeal for Arsenal! Buchanan makes a needless tackle on Foord, just inside the area, and doesn’t get the ball. Kirsty Dowle is too far away to have a clear view and gives a corner. It should have been a penalty.
61 min This probably doesn’t need saying, but Kim Little has been fantastic today.
60 min Desperate defending from Arsenal, with Rafaelle in particularly doing well to stop James having a clear shot after she had cleverly headed a loose ball into the area.
58 min Maanum sprays a crossfield pass to the unmarked Pelova on the edge of the area. She controls the ball on her chest and cuts across a volley that is comfortably saved by Berger, falling to her left.
That would have been some impact from Pelova, who has been on the field about a minute.
58 min: Arsenal substitution Victoria Pelova replaces Katie McCabe, who was once again in the thick of it. She was booked, went down twice with head injuries – but, most significantly, won the penalty from which Kim Little put Arsenal 2-1 in front.
57 min Chelsea are starting to threaten again. Kerr makes another good run, this time down the right wing, and picks out the unmarked James 20 yards from goal. She whips a first-time shot that curls a few yards over the bar. Zinsberger had it covered.
55 min Kerr makes a terrific run behind the Arsenal defence, onto Perisset’s long, angled pass, but Rafaelle recovers superbly to push the ball behind. The corner is cleared.
51 min Leupolz is booked for a studs-first follow through onto McCabe’s ankle.
50 min A big moment of fortune for Berger, whose lazy pass is blocked by the stretching Blackstenius but goes straight back to the keeper.
49 min McCabe goes down again holding her face after a hefty collision with Eriksson. She’s fine.
