Sophie Ingle and Sam Kerr powered defending champions Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over 14-time winners Arsenal in the fifth round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup.
Ingle opened the scoring midway through the first half with a sublime side-footed finish just inside the box, before Kerr doubled the lead with a calm finish after latching onto Jelena Cankovic’s through ball.
The result sends Emma Hayes’ side through to the quarter-finals for the ninth-consecutive season as they chase a third title in a row.
Sam Kerr = INEVITABLE.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 26, 2023
She executes a stunning near-range chip to put Chelsea firmly in the driving seat in this tie (2-0) 🚘#BBCFootball #WomensFACup #CHEARS pic.twitter.com/0JNSow6ZAQ
They will be joined by last season’s runners-up Manchester City as they eased past Barclays Women’s Championship side Bristol City 8-1, while Barclays Women’s Super League leaders Manchester United will also be in the draw thanks to a 5-0 win over second-tier Durham.
Khadija Shaw continued her fine form in front of goal with a hat-trick inside 40 minutes before notching a fourth after the break, with Lauren Hemp, Jemima Dahou, Julie Blakstad twice also on the scoresheet.
Durham were one of only three sides to beat Marc Skinner’s United this season with a penalty shoot-out victory in the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup, but there was to be no repeat at Leigh Sports Village.
A tight first half finally saw the deadlock broken courtesy of a sublime free-kick from Vilde Boe Risa, before the hosts kicked it up a gear after the break.
Leah Galton doubled the advantage eight minutes after the restart, before Hannah Blundell, Alessia Russo, and Nikita Parris all got in on the act.
It’s all love 🤗❤️#MUWomen || #WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/rnxoGTDUjW
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) February 26, 2023
Brighton & Hove Albion will also be in the hat for the last eight, as a late flurry of strikes helped them past Coventry United 5-0.
Brianna Visalli’s 17th-mintue strike had been the only thing separating the sides until the last 15 minutes, before a second from Visalli, a stunning brace from Geum-Min Lee and an own goal put the gloss on the victory.
Along the south coast, Ellie Mason was the cup hero for Lewes as she netted four times to fire her side past fourth-tier Cardiff City Ladies 6-1 and into the quarter-finals for the first time in the club’s history.
It took Mason just five minutes to open the scoring, before she doubled her tally just before the half hour, only for Ingrid Adland to half the deficit for the only FA Women’s National League side in the last 16.
But Mason responded with her hat-trick coming just after the hour, before the Northern Ireland international added a fourth with 15 minutes to play, with Kenzie Weir and Aqsa Mushtaq added late on.
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ games as a player
— Lewes FC Women (@LewesFCWomen) February 26, 2023
4️⃣ Goals
☑️ POTM performance@Elliemason16 appreciation tweet 🤩 pic.twitter.com/T4pxr5hXEN
The Rooks will not be the only Championship side in the last eight, as Birmingham City came through an all-second-tier battle with Charlton Athletic with a 1-0 victory in extra-time.
With the sides locked at 0-0 after 90 absorbing minutes, Ashley Hodson popped up with the crucial strike after 101 minutes to send the 2012 champions through.
While Holden found a winner in extra-time, penalties were needed to separate Tottenham Hotspur and Reading, with the Royals sneaking through 5-4 from the spot.
Lauren Wade slotted home the winning penalty, sealing a perfect set of strikes for the visitors after Kerys Harrop hit the crossbar from 12 yards for Spurs.
And spot-kicks were also required elsewhere in London, as Aston Villa edged past West Ham 7-6 after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
THESE SCENES! 😍 pic.twitter.com/dV7XMR9FfP
— Aston Villa Women (@AVWFCOfficial) February 26, 2023
Rachel Daly made the perfect return from international duty by opening the scoring for Villa five minutes after the break.
Iceland international Dagny Brynjarsdottir bundled home in added time to force another 30 minutes, but neither side could find a winner.
Villa took the upper hand in the shootout after Grace Fisk struck the post only for Jordan Nobbs’ effort to be saved by Mackenzie Arnold.
Both sides then seemingly refused to miss, with Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton smashing her penalty home before counterpart Arnold crucially missed for the Hammers.
