Chelsea keep Women’s FA Cup title defence alive with late win over Spurs
Chelsea kept their Women’s FA Cup defence alive with a late 2-1 victory over Tottenham, booking their place in the semi-finals after a hard-fought contest at Kingsmeadow.
The holders took the lead just before half-time through Sam Kerr, who continued her strong record in the competition with another goal.
Chelsea had controlled much of the first half, but were unable to extend their advantage before the break.
Tottenham responded early in the second half, with Eveliina Summanen equalising from a free-kick as Chelsea were briefly caught off guard.
The goal shifted momentum, and Spurs grew into the game, applying pressure as they looked to complete a comeback.
Despite that, Chelsea found a decisive moment late on. Defender Veerle Buurman scored a dramatic winner to seal progression, capping off a resilient performance from Sonia Bompastor’s side.
It was a breakthrough moment for the young defender, who netted her first goal for the club at a crucial time.
Late winner sends Chelsea through
The victory ensures Chelsea remain on course to retain the trophy they won last season, keeping alive their hopes of silverware this campaign.
Their reward is a semi-final clash against Women’s Super League leaders Manchester City, setting up one of the standout ties of the competition.
With Chelsea already facing a demanding run of fixtures in recent weeks, the performance against Tottenham highlighted both their quality and their resilience under pressure.
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Bompastor praises players amid fatigue concerns
Speaking after the match, Bompastor acknowledged the physical toll on her squad but praised their determination to get the result.
"We came into this game with a lot of fatigue, heavy legs. We didn't have a lot of players to rotate [with] in seven games within four weeks.
“It's completely normal for the players to feel like that physically, but mentally I'm really proud of them. They fought until the end."
The Chelsea head coach also reiterated the importance of the FA Cup as one of the club’s key targets for the remainder of the season.
“Every trophy is important to us because we don't shy away from the ambition,” she added.
“So, now we have two main objectives: qualifying for the Champions League next season [and] also making sure we try to win the FA Cup.”
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