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Chelsea triumphed over Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final, capturing their first trophy under Sonia Bompastor and keeping their hopes for a historic quadruple alive.
Since taking over from Emma Hayes as head coach last May, Bompastor has surpassed expectations, winning 26 out of 28 matches.
Mayra Ramirez opened the scoring for Chelsea early on, tapping in a rebound that ricocheted off City captain Laia Aleixandri at Derby County’s Pride Park. Aoba Fujino equalized in the second half with a spectacular shot, but Yui Hasegawa's own goal put Chelsea back in the lead, ending their three-year drought in League Cup finals.
Bompastor expressed her joy, stating, “It feels great, for sure. I’m really happy. From the start of the season, we aimed to be ambitious, and winning our first title is a very positive development, making me proud of my players.”
City, playing their first game under interim manager Nick Cushing after Gareth Taylor's departure five days prior, dominated possession following Chelsea’s initial goal. However, they struggled to convert opportunities in the first half, as Chelsea’s strong central defense duo of Millie Bright and Nathalie Bjorn effectively curtailed City’s chances, forcing them to take speculative shots from distance.
Chelsea seemed to regain control after halftime, but when Fujino’s powerful effort soared past goalkeeper Hannah Hampton into the net, the momentum shifted. Hasegawa's own goal later allowed Bompastor’s team to reclaim the advantage.
Chelsea remains in the running for the Champions League and FA Cup, while they are on the verge of clinching a sixth consecutive Women’s Super League (WSL) title, leading the table by eight points with six matches left.
This final heralded the beginning of an intense 12-day series, with Chelsea and City set to face each other four times consecutively.
