Last year’s beaten finalists Chelsea strolled into the semi-finals of the Continental Tyres Women’s League Cup with a 5-0 win over Sunderland.
Four-time winners Manchester City did enough to get past Tottenham Hotspur, triumphing 1-0 while Aston Villa needed penalties to defeat Brighton & Hove Albion.
Defending champions Arsenal saw their last-eight tie with London City Lionesses postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Chelsea start as they mean to go on
In their first game in this season’s Conti Cup, Chelsea were comfortable in their 5-0 win over Barclays Women’s Championship high-flyers Sunderland.
Sjoeke Nusken, operating at right-back, scored a first-half brace to move the Blues into a commanding position.
The Dutch player nodded in the opener on 28 minutes having been found with time and space by a delightful by-line cross from Fran Kirby.
She then doubled Chelsea’s tally on the stroke of half-time with another header, this time flicking the ball on from an Eve Perisset corner.
Aggie Beever-Jones ensured there was no let up for the Lasses with a fizzing strike just after the restart before Kirby made sure of the win with two goals in the final 10 minutes
Hasegawa helps City on their way
Manchester City had playmaker Yui Hasegawa to thank for their passage to the last four in their narrow win over Tottenham.
Japanese international Hasegawa is so often responsible for creating City’s goals, but this time she scored the winner with a beautiful strike from the edge of the box.
Barbora Votikova was called into action to deny Lauren Hemp, whose curling shot was well held by the keeper.
After the restart, there was little to separate the two sides as Tottenham’s best chance saw Kit Graham meet Eveliina Summanen’s corner with her glancing header straight at Khiara Keating.
The game fizzled out with City satisfied with a 1-0 victory and a place in the semi-finals.
Aston Villa battle on
Aston Villa beat Brighton on penalties having earlier forced extra-time through a Kirsty Hanson equaliser.
Veatriki Sarii had put the hosts ahead at Broadfield Stadium with a swirling shot that Daphne van Domselaar could do nothing about.
Villa levelled after the break as Kirsty Hanson nodded home in the 69th minute, getting herself in the perfect position to meet Kenza Dali’s cross and bring the visitors back into the tie.
Sophie Baggaley stood firm for Brighton denying shots from Maz Pacheco and Hanson to see the game to extra-time and with no more goals the game went to spot-kicks.
Van Domselaar was the hero, producing three saves as Villa advanced 2-0 on penalties.
