Laia Alexandri's second-half strike fired Manchester City to a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Adobe Women's FA Cup.
A close affair at Meadow Park was decided 16 minutes from time, as Alexandri pounced on a loose ball in the Arsenal area and prodded home after the Gunners failed to clear a Chloe Kelly free-kick.
Arsenal responded well as they searched for an equaliser but were repelled by an array of superb stops from Khiara Keating in the City net.
The 19-year-old rose superbly to claw away Victoria Pelova's header in stoppage time before also tipping a rasping Kim Little volley over the bar.
It proved enough to help City hold on and progress to the last eight at the expense of the 14-time champions.
Just look what it means to the @ManCityWomen players 💙#AdobeWomensFACup pic.twitter.com/tSAN84xhZy
— Adobe Women's FA Cup (@AdobeWFACup) February 11, 2024
Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion avoided potential banana skins, overcoming third-tier Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.
The Toffees ran out 7-1 winners at Forest, Kathrine Kuhl and Martina Piemonte opening up a two-goal advantage at the break but Charlotte Greengrass gave the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division side hope by halving the deficit two minutes into the second half.
Everton stepped up thereafter, however, as Justine Vanhaevermaet, Emily Batty's own goal, Emma Bissell, Toni Duggan's penalty and Hanna Bennison rounded off a big win.
Albion were made to sweat for their victory, Beth Merrick hauling the home side level from the spot after Katie Robinson had given the Seagulls a first-half lead.
It wasn't until the 88th minute that the top-flight side went back ahead through Emma Kullberg, and the Swedish defender added the gloss with another two goals in injury time to bag herself an eight-minute hat-trick in the process.
A goal in each half helped Liverpool into the next round, as they beat Barclays Women's Championship side London City Lionesses 2-0.
Sophie Roman Haug opened the scoring after just six minutes as she nodded home a superb cross from Jasmine Matthews, before Melissa Lawley made victory secure with an emphatic finish after latching onto a long ball and firing past Grace Moloney.
Rachel Williams was the hero for Manchester United, as the experienced striker netted twice to help her side past Southampton 3-1.
Ella Toone gave the visitors the lead but Saints struck back after the break through Lexi Lloyd-Smith just after the hour.
But Williams, as she so often does, came off the bench to put United back in front 15 minutes from time before adding another just before full-time.
There was also a late strike for defending champions Chelsea, who got past Crystal Palace 1-0 thanks to a first goal in blue for Mayra Ramirez.
Emma Hayes' side looked unable to break down their Championship visitors before Ramirez broke the deadlock nine minutes from the end with a sumptuous flicked finish to open her Chelsea account in style.
On Saturday, Shannon O’Brien’s brace helped Leicester City book a spot in the quarter-finals with a 6-2 win over Birmingham City at Pirelli Stadium.
The hosts were blushing after a Missy Goodwin own goal in the second minute, though they quickly found an equaliser through Janice Cayman.
Two clinical O’Brien goals put Leicester ahead before and after Libby Smith’s equaliser to head into half-time 3-2 up as second-half goals from Saori Takarada, Deanne Rose and Aileen Whelan wrapped up the win.
The Foxes got off to an unfortunate start when Goodwin directed the ball into her own net with a deflection inside two minutes.
But the hosts responded through Cayman, who calmly placed a ball from Takarada into the Birmingham net on 19 minutes.
O’Brien fired her side ahead four minutes later when she cut inside from the edge of the box to place a brilliant strike into the top right corner.
Smith found a reply with her own effort to beat Janina Leitzig but Leicester edged in front again before half-time as O’Brien bagged her second.
Takarada made it four with a deserved headed goal from a cleverly placed Jutta Rantala free-kick.
Substitute Rose came from the bench to get herself on the scoresheet after nestling the ball into the bottom corner before Whelan firmly sealed the win with a finish from close range.
— Adobe Women's FA Cup (@AdobeWFACup) February 10, 2024
At Brisbane Road, substitute Kit Graham’s second-half strike sent Tottenham Hotspur through as a 1-0 win knocked out Charlton Athletic.
Spurs hit the woodwork in each half and looked like they had ran out of ideas after asking questions of Charlton’s defence for the majority of the game.
But, an inspired change allowed Graham to make the impact six minutes after coming from the bench to propel her side to victory.
Eveliina Summanen was denied by the sticks inside two minutes from an Olga Ahtinen corner and another chance went begging early on when Bethany England headed wide as the ball fell to her from a Jessica Gray parry.
Grace Clinton fed a clever ball into Celin Bizet but she fired her strike over the bar as Barclays Women’s Championship leaders Charlton held the hosts in a goalless first half.
After the restart, the home side struck the woodwork again in the 66th minute when Amanda Nilden found England in the box who turned and shot with power but saw the ball ricochet off the crossbar.
Substitute Graham scored the breakthrough against her former club in the 76th minute, coming on from the bench before driving low and past Gray.
The game was slowed by injury stoppages towards the end but Spurs wrapped up the win after nine minutes of added time.
— Adobe Women's FA Cup (@AdobeWFACup) February 10, 2024
