Chelsea Women Cruise into Continental Tyres League Cup Semi-Finals

Chelsea Women made comfortable progress into the semi-finals of the Continental Tyres League Cup thanks to two headers from Sjoeke Nusken, a thunderbolt from the boot of Aggie Beever-Jones, and two late poacher’s efforts from Fran Kirby.

Chasing a trophy the Blues last won three seasons ago, a much-changed side never looked in danger in the second of four consecutive games at Kingsmeadow. Nusken’s fifth and sixth goals of the season came before half-time and Beever-Jones’ flew in immediately after it, to quash any lingering hopes the visitors from the North-East may have had of staging a comeback.

Kirby’s goalscorer’s instinct made it 4-0 inside the final 10 minutes and 5-0 in added time, both close-range finishes.

This was the first meeting between these two sides in six years. The last time was in the WSL; now it was the knife-edge of cup-tie football as Chelsea entered the competition at the quarter-final stage. Sunderland had come through a group stage and were one of two Championship sides to make it to the knockout rounds.

Chelsea Musovic; Nusken, Mjelde, Buchanan, Perisset; Ingle (c); Beever-Jones, Kirby, Cankovic, Hamano; Fishel.

Unused subs Hampton, Lawrence, Carter, Charles, Cuthbert, Reiten, Rytting-Kaneryd, James, Ramirez. Scorers Nusken 28, 44, Beever-Jones 46, Kirby 83, 90+1. Booked Hamano 68.

Sunderland Moan; Brown, Goddard, Westrup (c), McCatty, Ede (McAteer 58), Fenton (Jones 77), Rouse (McInnes 90), Dear, Scarr, Ejupi (Watson 90). Unused subs Borthwick, Corbyn, West, Boothroyd. Booked Fenton 63.