Jane Ross came to the rescue as her added-time leveller allowed holders Manchester City to overcome Sunderland 4-2 in extra-time in the SSE Women’s FA Cup quarter finals.
City found themselves trailing in 33rd minute as Victoria Williams struck for Sunderland but they grabbed an equaliser in the 73rd minute, courtesy of Demi Stokes.
That parity lasted all of three minutes as Lucy Staniforth’s rasping strike put the hosts back in front, however Ross levelled late on before adding another in the first half of extra-time, with Ella Toone scoring a fourth.
The unlikely figure of Williams opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, toe-ending her shot past Ellie Roebuck after City failed to clear a corner.
The visitors then came within in centimetres of scoring in first-half stoppage time as Claire Emslie’s rising drive thundered off the bar.
City were persistent in their approach and found a leveller with 17 minutes to go through Stokes, the left-back bundling the ball in after it dropped in the area.
But Sunderland would roar back on 76 minutes through captain Staniforth – the midfielder gathered the ball some 30 yards out before lashing an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
However, as the game moved into added time, Ross scored from close range, after an excellent Anke Preuss stop, and she put City ahead seven minutes into extra-time with a shot on the turn.
The visitors pulled further clear in the second half of extra-time, with Toone lashing home from just inside the area as City booked a mouth-watering semi-final with Chelsea.
This season’s Final takes place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 5 May.
Tickets are already on sale, priced £15 for adults while kids go FREE!
