Buurman Strikes Late Against Spurs To Send Chelsea Into Women’s Fa Cup Semi-finals

Chelsea’s hopes of retaining 2 of their 3 titles stay live aft Veerle Buurman’s awesome thrust and onslaught earned nan Blues a 2-1 triumph successful an end-to-end conflict pinch Tottenham, securing a spot successful nan FA Cup semi-finals.

Sonia Bompastor’s broadside needed a consequence aft a frustrating week, having collapsed retired of nan Champions League contempt a battling 1-0 triumph against Arsenal successful nan 2nd limb of their quarter-final tie. They were bully against nan Gunners, and unlucky to person had a Buurman extremity incorrectly ruled retired successful nan first leg, but they were lacking successful nan last third.

With nan Women’s Super League title each but sewn up by Manchester City, an FA Cup triumph that would mean a home cup double – aft their League Cup last triumph against Manchester United – is nan only silverware near to play for. That will not beryllium capable for a squad that person dominated successful almost each title for a decade and has immense ambitions, but nan opportunity to decorativeness nan play connected a precocious astatine Wembley pinch a 2nd trophy will beryllium hugely motivating.

For Tottenham location was a request to make a connection aft back-to-back 5-2 defeats to Manchester City and Arsenal successful nan league. A travel to Kingsmeadow to look a bruised and injury-hit Chelsea possibly offered nan opportunity to claw thing from a reliable tally of games, pinch Manchester United up next. The conclusion was not nan consequence they wanted, but they showed their characteristic and grit, undone by a wonderment onslaught fewer could prevent.

The visiting squad were speedy retired of nan blocks successful south-west London, but their power was matched by Chelsea, Alyssa Thompson and Lauren James forced early saves from Lize Kop, who made a large correction for Alessia Russo’s 3rd successful nan northbound London derby nan preceding week.

Tottenham observe Eveliina Summanen’s equaliser against Chelsea. Photograph: Alex Davidson/The FA/Getty Images

Martin Ho’s broadside was fierce and forward-thinking contempt nan threat of Chelsea, a testament to nan manager’s effect connected nan measurement nan play since his presence successful nan summertime and Bethany England was halted by Niamh Charles while Signe Gaupset tested Hannah Hampton. A extremity was coming, but astatine which extremity was difficult to predict.

The breakthrough arrived successful nan 40th minute, erstwhile Kerr ghosted into nan container to caput Keira Walsh’s transverse backmost past Kop for a extremity successful her eighth consecutive FA Cup game.

There was nary wilting from nan squad that was near a small exposed erstwhile they fought to return thing from nan games against City and Arsenal, alternatively nan aforesaid occurrence that saw Ho’s broadside activity equalisers and consequence nan separator of their defeats growing, was connected show successful nan sun. They were rewarded for that tone 7 minutes aft nan restart. Kadeisha Buchanan was punished for needlessly bundling complete Matilda Vinberg retired wide erstwhile Eveliina Summanen’s free-kick floated complete everyone, including Hampton, who misread nan formation of nan ball, and in.

It was extremity to end, Chelsea possibly edging nan chances, Kerr conscionable incapable to scope nan substitute Wieke Kaptein’s sublime shot done nan six-yard box.

It felt arsenic if nan victor would request to beryllium thing typical and it was, Buurman’s blistering rising onslaught pinch 4 minutes of normal clip remaining prompting chaotic celebrations from her teammates and nan location fans.

The visiting broadside battled to nan last whistle, but Chelsea were not going to fto nan consequence gaffe distant from them precocious on. Relief and joyousness arrived erstwhile nan referee called time.