The Barclays Women's Super League has kicked off. Check out the fixtures and get your tickets here!
Sign up

11.12.2024

Women’s League Cup: Matchday 3 group-by-group round-up

Manchester United, West Ham, Durham, Brighton and Tottenham all advanced to the quarter-finals in a dramatic final round of the Women’s League Cup group stage.

United and Brighton took care of business with victories against Newcastle and Bristol City while fellow Barclays Women’s Super League sides West Ham and Tottenham drew to Southampton and Crystal Palace.

Elsewhere, Blackburn punched their ticket to the next round with a win at home against Sheffield United.

Here’s a group-by-group rundown…

GROUP A

Manchester United secured their spot in the quarter-finals after an enthralling 5-2 win over Newcastle.

The Red Devils took the lead through a Hannah Greenwood own-goal following a corner, yet while Deanna Cooper would soon pull one back for the visitors, United entered the break in the ascendancy courtesy of Emma Watson’s first-ever goal for the club – a sublime dink that gave Claudia Moan no chance.

Amy Andrews would level for the Magpies soon after the restart with a curled finish from just inside the area, only for United trio Rachel Williams, Gabby George and Elisabeth Terland to make it five before Lois Joel got a consolation for Newcastle in injury-time.

In the other game of the group, Liverpool were eliminated despite registering a resounding 4-0 defeat of Everton in the Merseyside Derby.

The Reds ran rampant over their rivals, opening the scoring through Clark’s powerful header before Mia Enderby doubled their advantage with a composed finish low into the net.

Kapocs made it three late on before Enderby coolly bagged her brace, expertly placing her shot beyond the reach of Emily Ramsey.

GROUP B

Maria Edwards hit a first-half hattrick to fire Blackburn to a deserved 4-2 win over Sheffield United.

The striker broke the deadlock with a close-range finish early on before securing her second of the night when she raced to convert Tyler Toland’s 25-yard strike after the midfielder’s long-range effort bounced back off the bar.

Edwards completed her hattrick when she rose at the back post to meet Niamh Murphy’s cross before another Toland saw her long-range strike deflected past Bethan Davies not long into the second-half.

Sheffield United skipper Satara Murray would grab a lifeline for the visitors when she headed home in the 65th minute, with Maria Farrugia adding a second when slotted home Monique Robinson’s low cross, though in the end it wouldn’t be enough to prevent the Blades from falling to defeat.

Elsewhere, Durham overcame Sunderland 2-1 in the River Wear derby courtesy of goals from Eleanor Ryan-Doyle and Kaila Novak, punching their ticket to the quarterfinals in the process.

Ryan-Doyle opened the scoring a minute after kick-off with a fierce effort before Sunderland’s Katy Watson equalised for the hosts five minutes later after firing past Tatiana Saunders, only for Novak to secure all three points and bragging rights with a sublime finish in the 58th minute.

GROUP C

A brace a piece from Gesa Marashi and Miljana Ivanović alongside an effort from Teyah Goldie saw London City Lionesses comfortably dispatch Portsmouth 5-2.

Marashi gave London City the lead with her first professional goal early in proceedings – a powerful shot into the top corner before Goldie doubled the hosts’ lead after a scramble in the six-yard box.

Marashi registered her second of the night with another fierce strike with Ivanović making it four with a threaded finish into the bottom corner of the net before finding the net a second time with another left-footed finish after 61 minutes.

Meg Hornby would pull one back from the spot for Pompey five minutes later before adding a late consolation in the 84th minute.

Elsewhere, group winners West Ham ran out 3-0 winners over a spirited Southampton side thanks to second-half strikes from Shelina Zadorsky and Dagný Brynjarsdóttir either side of a Paige Peake own goal.

Zadorsky gave her side the lead with a close-range finish on the hour mark before Southampton defender Peake turned the ball into her own net 15 minutes later before Brynjarsdóttir added a third after firing home from inside the box.

GROUP D

A Nikita Parris double helped Brighton secure their spot in the quarterfinals after a 6-2 win over Bristol City at Broadfield Stadium.

Bruna Vilamala broke the deadlock for the Seagulls before Rachel McLauchlan and Pauline Bremer ensured the hosts entered the break with a healthy 3-1 lead after Tianna Telsar pulled one back for Bristol.

Michelle Agyemang made it four soon after the restart, with the visitors replying back through Jasmine Bull in the 51st minute before Parris bagged her brace with less than half an hour to go to ensure the Seagulls ran out victorious in West Sussex.

There was no lack of goals in the other game of the group, with Leicester City running out 5-2 winners over Birmingham City.

Ava Baker gave the Blues the lead when she expertly intercepted possession before drilling her strike into the bottom corner.

Yet the visitors’ lead would not last, with the Foxes firing four goals inside 10 minutes.

A Neve Grace Herron own-goal in the 34th minute restored parity before Japan international Yūka Momiki put Leicester out in front with a powerfully composed finish from the spot moments later.

CJ Bott made it three not long after before Simone Sherwood registered the Foxes’ fourth to secure a 4-1 lead heading into the break.

Hannah Cain completed the scoring for Leicester before Birmingham’s Christie Harrison-Murray grabbed a late consolation.

GROUP E

A double each from Rachel Daly and Ebony Salmon saw Aston Villa turn on the style with a 4-1 defeat of Charlton Athletic.

Charlton took the lead in the ninth minute through Charlotte Newsham’s first goal for the club, with Daly drawing Villa level 15 minutes later.

Salmon gave her side the lead with a composed finish into the top right corner and added her second of the night with a curled effort beyond the reach of Jessica Gray before Daly finished the job with five minutes left on the clock.

Meanwhile, over at VBS Community Stadium, Matilda Vinberg and Araya Dennis were on the scoresheet as Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 2-0.

Vinberg opened the scoring for the visitors in the 50th minute before Dennis doubled Tottenham’s lead with a delightful finish, turning her defender after receiving the ball on the edge of the box before firing into the top right corner.

Share article

Watch live matches, highlights and all your favourite women’s football content for free

Barclays WSL Barclays WC