Chelsea 3–1 West Ham United (AET)
Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round, Kingsmeadow, Sunday 14 January 2024, 1pm.
West Ham United women's team forced Chelsea into extra time in their Adobe Women's FA Cup fourth round tie, but were ultimately on the losing side after a battling display.
Viviane Asseyi got the away side off to a fantastic start in the winter sunshine at Kingsmeadow, latching onto a long ball from Mackenzie Arnold to fire beyond Zecira Musovic.
Rehanne Skinner’s team defended resolutely throughout the first 70 minutes of the game, and it took a moment of quality from forward Mia Fishel to find the equaliser, with the substitute swivelling and firing into the net.
In extra time, the Barclays Women’s Super League and FA Cup champions showed their class, finding goals through Erin Cuthbert and Aggie Beever-Jones as they booked their place in the fifth round of the competition.
Skinner handed debuts to both Shelina Zedorsky and Katrina Gorry for the clash in west London. Arnold also made her first appearance since mid-November after overcoming a tricep issue.
In the opening five minutes, Riko Ueki caused the Chelsea backline an issue with her link up play, which led to her being able to get in behind and pull a ball back that almost found runners in Claret & Blue.
Lauren James then looked to catch Arnold out with a cheeky chip from distance, but she couldn’t get the trajectory right and it sailed over the bar.
After a period of where Chelsea probed for a way in behind the West Ham defence, but it would be the away side who would strike first. A long ball from Arnold found Asseyi in behind Blues defender Kadeisha Buchanan, with the France international finding the bottom corner with a superb finish on 18 minutes.
Amber Tysiak then produced a goal-saving challenge five minutes later to deny Lauren James from close range, as those in Claret & Blue looked to continue to limit Chelsea in half-chances.
The home side continued to search for a way back into the game, and Guro Reiten came closest on 38 minutes, as her shot fizzed off the crossbar and behind.
Just before the break, Arnold kept her side ahead as she dived down to her left to keep out a wickedly taken free-kick from Eve Perisset.
In the second half, Ueki managed to win a tussle with Jess Carter and scampered on the Chelsea goal, but a covering Sophie Ingle was able to make the block.
On 56 minutes, the Hammers had the crossbar to thank again, as Ashley Lawrence’s strike from range bounced down off the bar, allowing the ball to be cleared away.
The home side managed to draw level on 70 minutes, with substitute Fishel arrowing a strike that Arnold couldn’t keep out.
Arnold continued to stay alert, as she kept out efforts from James and Buchanan as the Irons looked to force the tie to extra time, which they successfully achieved after keeping Emma Hayes’ team out towards the end of the second half.
There was little in the way of goalmouth action in the first half of extra time, but Anouk Denton was able to drive forward on a counter attack and feed Asseyi, but her shot was held by Musovic.
Chelsea eventually found a way in front through Erin Cuthbert, with the midfielder arriving late in the box and buried a header beyond Arnold to put the holders ahead for the first time in the contest.
And Beever-Jones made it three and put the game beyond doubt as she looped a strike over Arnold and into the net.
The Hammers continued to battle on, but were on the losing side, and exited the competition at the fourth round stage.
Chelsea: Musovic, Ingle © (Leupolz 58), Carter (Bjorn 58), James (Beever-Jones 105), Reiten (Nusken 90+3), Lawrence, Kirby (Fishel 58), Perisset, Kaneryd, Cuthbert, Buchanan.
Unused Subs: Hampton, Fleming, Mjelde, Cankovic.
Goals: Fishel 70, Cuthbert 101, Beever-Jones 105+2
Yellow Card: Reiten 86, Nusken
West Ham United: Arnold ©, Smith, Cooke (Ademiluyi 110), Tysiak, Zadorsky, Shimizu, Hayashi, Gorry (Denton 74), Snerle (Ziu 62), Asseyi, Ueki (Harries 80).
Unused Subs: Walsh, O’Hanlon, Atkinson, Stapleton, Flannery.
Goal: Asseyi 18
Yellow Cards: Tysiak 13, Shimizu 44, Arnold 68, Gorry 72
Referee: Emily Heaslip
