Arsenal 1-2 Manchester City: Last-minute Mary Fowler goal puts visitors into Women's League Cup final
Updated 06/02/2025 at 23:41 GMT
Mary Fowler scored in the dying seconds at Meadow Park to send Manchester City into the final of the Women's League Cup, where they will face high-flying Chelsea at Pride Park in March. In a dramatic encounter in Borehamwood between two sides separated by just two points in the Women's Super League, it was City who ran out deserved winners to silence the hopeful home crowd.
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Video credit: SNTV
Manchester City had Mary Fowler's last-gasp heroics to thank as they sealed passage into the Women's League Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal.
Fowler netted a brace for the away side, opening the scoring in the first half before Mariona Caldentey equalised from the penalty spot nearly an hour in.
Arsenal's men were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the semi-final stage on Wednesday night and the women's team followed suit in heartbreaking fashion.
An impressive City side, inspired by the clinical Fowler, will now face Women's Super League leaders Chelsea in the final at Pride Park next month.
"[It was] something to be really proud of," Fowler told City's official website. "Arsenal always put up a good fight and they played well tonight. I’m super proud of the girls and how we played and just happy to get the win.
"I was really happy. I felt mostly relief, but I was super happy, I’ve been wanting to win something with the girls for so long so to be a step closer to doing that is really exciting.
"I haven’t played in a final yet with the girls, so it’ll be a new feeling for me here. But I think we’re ready for it, and I’m just super pumped for it."
Kick-off was delayed by half an hour because of a broken down ambulance, leaving the fans at Meadow Park to wait in the cold. And when things eventually got underway, it was City who started brighter.
The hosts attempted to step onto their opposition, but Kerolin Nicoli forced the first save of the game from Daphne van Domselaar with a shot from the edge of the box.
Both sides looked a threat, but City's attacking play was more penetrative, and Fowler fired off a warning shot that whistled over the bar 20 minutes in. Just a few minutes later, the visitors were in front when former Gunner Vivianne Miedema set off on a driving run and picked out Fowler, who finished emphatically.
Arsenal looked for an immediate response and Stina Blackstenius drilled a shot wide from a tight angle. But City continued to play with more confidence, and thought they had a second when Fowler converted after Jill Roord's shot was saved. But the forward was offside and the goal disallowed.
Aoba Fujino went close shortly before the break, seeing her close-range effort blocked by Steph Catley. Arsenal were seemingly happy to end the half just one goal behind.
The second half began with more chances for City, who twice struck the woodwork through Nicoli and Fujino. And there was a growing feeling that the away side might begin to rue their profligacy.
That was the case for Gareth Taylor's team. Just before the hour mark, Blackstenius was caught by Rebecca Knaak in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Caldentey made no mistake and Arsenal, despite a below-par performance, were back level.
Incredibly, City were awarded a penalty of their own just two minutes later when Fowler was brought down in the Arsenal area. She picked herself up, placed the ball on the spot and prepared to restore the visitors' lead, only for her spot kick to be palmed away by Van Domselaar.
City, after a composed first-half display, suddenly appeared dishevelled, while Arsenal were buoyed by the sequence of events. But the game became increasingly frantic and untidy, with openings at both ends which neither side took advantage of.
There was a clear opening for City just before full-time as the lively Fujino fired in a cross and Roord met it unmarked in the box. But she could only direct her header wide, squandering a huge chance to snatch victory.
It did not matter, though, because moments later, and in the final minute of added time, Fowler stepped up. She produced a superb left-footed strike from the edge of the box that evaded the stranded Van Domselaar and nestled in the bottom corner, sparking jubilant celebrations from the players in blue.
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