Buckle up and get ready for a thrilling ride through the ups and downs of the Women's FA Cup semi-finals. In match 1, Manchester United faced off against Brighton & Hove Albion, and let me tell you, it was a game for the ages.
Now, on paper, Manchester United were the clear favourites to win this match, given their position in the WSL. But as we all know, football is not played on paper, and the match had plenty of surprises in store for us.
In the first half, Brighton dominated possession and were incredibly offensive in their play. They were determined to break down the Red Devils' defence, which is no small feat, especially with a defender like Millie Turner on the pitch. This persistence paid off when a darting cross from Sarri was deflected by United keeper Mary Earps into the back of her own net, giving Brighton a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute.
United tried to mount a comeback but were thwarted by Brighton's defence and keeper Lydia Williams, who were in fine form. It was looking like the upset of the season was on the cards.
At halftime, the United women's side found themselves in an unfamiliar position, trailing 1-0 to a spirited Brighton team. But United didn't get where they are by giving up. They came out for the second half with fire in their bellies and equalised within 50 seconds of the restart; when Ona Batlle set up a beautiful goal to be finished and put into the back of the net by Galton. 1-1 in the 46th minute! What a response from the Red Devils!
Manchester United continued to apply the pressure, and in minute 71, it paid off with an unstoppable strike from Russo that found the back of the net at the near post. Could United have turned this around? Their 2-1 lead barely lasted five minutes when Brighton hit back, with Danielle Carter slotting it into the back of the net to level the score after a poor pass from Turner released the ball to the Brighton forward. 2-2 in the 75th minute!
The game was in the balance, and it could have gone either way. But then, in the 89th minute, United broke into the vacant space left by an injured Brighton player and Brighton did not kick the ball out, and this cost them dear. Zelem threaded a pass to Rachel Williams, who slotted it in at the near post.
At the final whistle, United had won 3-2, securing their place in the FA Cup final. It was a hard-fought victory, and Brighton made them work for it. Credit to Brighton, who fought hard and posed a real threat to United throughout the match. Could it be new manager Melissa Phillips putting a spring in their step? Whatever it was, it was a joy to watch.
Manchester United will now face either Chelsea or Aston Villa in the final on May 14th. Could the absence of Chelsea's key center back, Millie Bright, hinder their chances? We'll have to wait and find out.
Football, eh? You just never know what's going to happen. But one thing's for sure - the women's game is going from strength to strength, and we're here for it.
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