Arsenal 3 Brighton 0: WSL leaders dispatch Seagulls to seal FA Cup final duel with Chelsea
ARSENAL toppled stubborn Brighton to set up an all-London FA Cup final with Chelsea in December.
Two goals in four minutes from Kim Little and Beth Mead and a strike from Leah Williamson secured a gritty 3-0 win at Meadow Park.
The North London giants will be keen to avenge the 3-1 loss they endured in the last FA Cup final clash between the top tier’s top dogs.
Mead told BBC Sport: “We had the disappointment last time myself included.
“What a feeling (it would be) to go and win an FA Cup, one of the biggest trophies in the women’s game and the men’s game.
“It will be a good game. Hopefully, we can try and get the win.”
Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall said: “The closest I’ve come to being at Wembley was when I bought tickets for Adele a few years ago but then my wife and I couldn’t go. I’m definitely going this time.
“It feels a little bit surreal, to be honest. I never imagined having the chance to receive a trophy or success so so quickly, so really feels like a great opportunity for us to go there and compete.
“I’m really enjoying watching us play at the moment. I think we play some exciting football.
“Apart from the Barcelona game, I think we have scored at least three goals in every game that we played so far in competitive games.”
Most read in FA Cup
BETTING SPECIAL – GET £50 IN FREE BETS WITH WILLIAM HILL
Brighton, who were appearing in a cup semi-final for the first time in 45 years, have developed a reputation as a tough team to breakdown.
And this proved that to be the case in the opening period at Meadow Park with the Seagulls keeping the scoreline level in the first half.
One of the earliest Arsenal efforts came via Beth Mead in the eighth minute with the forward showing quick feet to send a Seagulls defender sliding on the turf before the ball was hoofed out of danger.
And moments later Brighton attempted to counter with ex-Gunner Danielle Carter latching on to a long pass from Megan Walsh, before Jen Beattie got the ball away.
Arsenal had a decent shot on goal a little later with Jordan Nobbs’ angled strike being comfortably caught by Walsh.
And the hosts had an excellent chance of going in front minutes before half-time with Albion skipper Victoria Williams clearing Nikita Parris’ goal-bound header off the line.
The second half saw the floodgates open for Arsenal netting twice in five minutes with Mead wrong-footing her marker to tee up Little the 48th minute.
And the in-form Lionesses forward got on the score sheet moments later nutmegging Maya Le Tissier to slot the ball home past Walsh.
Brighton, who brought on Emma Koivisto in the second-half, came close to netting themselves shortly after, with the Finland full-back firing narrowly wide in the 60th minute.
But the hosts crushed any hopes of an Albion comeback with Leah Williamson’s bullet header sealing a 3-0 victory and a trip to Wembley for Jonas Eidevall’s side.
Of the game, Hope Powell said: “When we got the ball, we turned over too quickly and too cheaply, but I’m very proud at the way we committed ourselves.
“We tried, we kept running for the 90 minutes but on the day, we were just beaten by a better team.”
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS