Arsenal 0 Chelsea 2: Hayes not interested in revenge on Man City as WSL leaders defeat Gunners to reach FA Cup final

EMMA HAYES insists payback will not be on the agenda when Chelsea face Manchester City after crushing Arsenal’s FA Cup final hopes.

A Ji So-yun stunner – scored seven years after her Cup final winner against Notts County– helped the Blues seal a 2-0 victory.

The result paved the way for Chelsea’s May 8^th Wembley date with City despite the Gunners’ spirited efforts.

It also saw the Gunners’ trophy double chase ended with their rivals facing off in their second cup decider clash this term.

Hayes said: “I’m never preoccupied with revenge type things. I don’t think about that.

“I just know (in the Conti Cup final) we were our most vulnerable back then when we had a lot of players out.

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“We’re in a really good space really in a good space, we’ve got players coming back into the group. This is a team in form, but so are City.”

Chelsea came into the game without the mercurial skills of Fran Kirby with the forward ruled out for the rest of the season.

But the Blues’ ace’s midfield colleagues ensured their side came out on top winning the battle in the centre of the park.

Hayes added: “Midfield is where we won the game. In the game where we drew they beat us in this area.

“But in this match, Erin (Cuthbert), Sophie (Ingle) and Ji So-yun were so dominant. That was also helped with our back three being superb.”

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At a packed Borehamwood, Arsenal began the brighter of the sides with Mead looking to shoot around the fifth minute.

And the Gunners forward took a hefty whack to the face from a ball with play stopped momentarily before she continued after treatment.

Stina Blackstenius fluffed a cutback for Miedema after evading Aniek Nouwen on the left in the 13^th minute.

This was moments before Leah Williamson cleared Ji’s lofted cross into the cross.

At the other end, Miedema fired narrowly over the bar from just outside the 18-yard box after a purposeful charge into the area around the 20^th -minute.

Later Cuthbert saw her shot from distance saved by Manuela Zinsberger.

And Ingle’s long-range effort was cleared out of danger by Williamson shortly after the half-hour mark, before Niamh Charles prompted a stop from Zinsberger near halftime.

The second spell saw Arsenal take things up a notch with Mead firing inches wide after deftly sitting Aniek Nouwen down with a pirouette.

But Chelsea dealt a sucker punch seconds later with Guro Reiten walloping a classy left-footed opener past a full-stretched Zinsberger in the 48th minute.

The hosts looked to hit back swiftly with Miedema releasing Caitlin Foord before the Australia ace was flagged offside near the 50^th minute

And England came close to scoring after receiving a long ball forcing Zinsberger to parry the ball wide of her post.

Hayes’ aces doubled the lead with around half an hour remaining with Ji whipping in a top corner past the Gunners keeper.

And the Austria number one was forced to intercept a pass intended for England with 16 minutes of normal time remaining

Arsenal came close to nabbing a consolation at the death with Ann-Katrin Berger saving with her feet to keep a cleansheet.

And Chelsea closed out the game to reach their fifth FA Cup final in eight years.

The result leaves Jonas Eidevall’s aces’ chances of silverware resting with their chase for the title.

The Gunners boss said: “I’m very disappointed in the match (result) but I’m very motivated in doing everything to finish off the season as strongly as possible.

“That’s what we need to do and that’s most the important thing.”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk