Sophie Ingle put Chelsea in front after 21 minutes at KingsmeadowSam Kerr marked her century of Chelsea appearances with a goal as holders Chelsea beat 14-time winners Arsenal in the Women’s FA Cup fifth round. hosts ahead in the first half. It was Kerr’s 82nd goal in 100 games for Chelsea and kept them in the hunt for four trophies this season. Arsenal, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with an FA Cup exit coming on top of no league wins so far in 2023. Classy Kerr proves scourge of Arsenal again There was some surprise Kerr started this fixture, having played three matches for Australia in her home nation over the international break, the most recent of those on Wednesday. However, when you have a striker with Kerr’s remarkable strike rate, it is near impossible to leave her out. And what has so often been inevitable in Chelsea matches since the 29-year-old joined in 2020, happened 11 minutes into the second half. Jelena Ca nkovic fed Kerr with a fine through-ball and she clipped a calm finish over Manuela Zinsberger to double the home side’s advantage.”Even with jet lag, she’s better than you,” sang the delighted Kingsmeadow crowd during a break in play, which drew a laugh and applause from the forward herself. Arsenal must be particularly sick of the sight of Kerr as this was her fifth goal in 11 appearances against them. Her late equaliser also earned Chelsea a WSL point at Emirates Stadium in January, kick-starting the Gunners’ poor league form this year. And they are likely to face the Chelsea number 20 again, with these sides meeting in the League Cup final next weekend. Gunners can’t end Chelsea’s cup ‘dominance’ Chelsea and Arsenal never seem able to avoid each other in the Women’s FA Cup either – this was their eighth meeting in the last 10 years in the competition. The Blues have had the upper hand of late. They thrashed Arsenal in the 2020-21 final, before the Blues defeated Jonas Eidevall’s team in the semi-finals last season, with Emma Hayes describing both as “dominant” performances. That imbalance perhaps stung the visitors into early action and they nearly led inside a minute, Frida Maanum cutting in from the left and curling a right footed shot which Ann -Katrin Berger did well to tip over the bar. Arsenal made the better openings in the first 20 minutes but, as they pushed higher to try and firm up their advantage, Chelsea struck first. A ball over the top from Eve Perisset found Steph Catley out of position and Lauren James had space and time to cut inside and lay off to Ingle, who found the bottom corner with a low effort via the glove of Zinsberger and the inside of the post. Arsenal, though, continued to threaten, with Berger making a brave double save to deny Caitlin Foord shortly before half-time. Kerr’s strike, however, condemned them to a third successful FA Cup elimination at the hands of their London rivals. Line-ups Chelsea WomenFormation 4-2-3-130Berger415Périsset t16Eriksson21Charles5Ingle22Cuthbert10James28Cankovic11Reiten20Kerr30Berger15PérissetSubstituted forCarterat 71’minutes4Bright16Eriksson21CharlesBooked at 45mins5Ingle22Cuthbert10JamesSubstituted forRytting Kanerydat 84’minutes28CankovicSubstituted forFlemingat 84’minutes11Reiten20KerrSubstitutes1Musovic7Carter8Leupolz17Fleming18Mjelde19Rytting Kaneryd26BuchananArsenal WomenFormation 4-3-31Zinsberger26Wienroither6Williamson2Carvalho Souza7Catley13Wälti10Little12Maanum15McCabe25Blackstenius19Foord1Zinsberger26WienroitherSubstituted forMaritzat 81’minutesBooked at 90mins6Williamson2Carvalho Souza7CatleySubstituted forPelovaat 68’minutes13WältiSubstituted forWubben-Moyat 81’minutes10Little12Maanum15McCabe25BlacksteniusSubstituted forKühlat 81’minutes19FoordSubstitutes3Wubben-Moy5Beattie16Maritz18Marckese20Queiroz Costa21Pelova22Kühl59AgyemangReferee:Abigail ByrneAttendance: 2,888Live TextMatch ends, Chelsea Women 2, Arsenal Women 0.Second Half ends, Chelsea Women 2, Arsenal Women 0.Attempt saved. Frida Maanum (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Victoria Pelova. Attempt missed. Niamh Charles (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from the center of the box misses Assisted by Guro Reiten with a cross following a set piece situation. Noëlle Maritz (Arsenal Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Noëlle Maritz (Arsenal Women). Guro Reiten (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick on the left wing. Attempt missed. Frida Maanum (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick. Leah Williamson (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Sam Kerr (Chelsea Women). Attempt saved. Kim Little (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Katie McCabe. Attempt saved. Leah Williamson (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. ed by Katie McCabe. Offside, Chelsea Women. Erin Cuthbert tries a through ball, but Sam Kerr is caught offside. Substitution, Chelsea Women. Jessie Fleming replaces Jelena Cankovic. Substitution, Chelsea Women. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd replaces. Lauren James Caitlin Foord (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the center of the goal. Assisted by Frida Maanum. Substitution, Arsenal Women. Lotte Wubben-Moy replaces Lia Wälti. Substitution, Arsenal Women. Noëlle Maritz replaces Laura Wienroither. Substitution, Arsenal Women. Kathrine Kühl replaces Stina Blackstenius. Kim Little (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
