Subway League Cup QF: Big Guns Reign Supreme

The Subway Women’s League Cup quarter-finals delivered bags of goals as all three Champions League sides entered the competition and progressed.

You have to feel for the teams who battled through the group phase. Crystal Palace, West Ham, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham each played three matches to reach this stage. However, four of the five were knocked out, with all UWCL teams advancing to the semi-finals.

Undoubtedly, the standout result came at St Helens, where Chelsea demolished Liverpool 9–1. Guro Reiten pulled the strings with a sublime hat-trick of assists, while Johanna Rytting Kaneryd netted a clinical treble in a ruthless attacking display.

Elsewhere, Manchester City were similarly dominant, sweeping West Ham aside 5–1 in Dagenham. Grace Clinton impressed in midfield, capping her performance with a fine long-range strike.

In South London, a returning Leah Williamson helped guide Arsenal to a composed — if testing — 2–0 win over Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, Manchester United staged yet another comeback against Spurs, this time sealing victory with a late winner.

It was a thrilling quarter-final round — one that now sets up two blockbuster semi-final ties.

A much-rotated Arsenal side overcame a tricky away tie with a 2–0 win over Crystal Palace to seal their place in the semi-finals.

The Gunners took the lead on 19 minutes when Laia Codina met Kyra Cooney-Cross’s corner, her header deflecting off a Palace defender on its way in. Despite the early breakthrough, Arsenal were tested throughout by a spirited Palace performance.

Abbie Larkin twice struck the woodwork in a lively first half for the hosts, while Anneke Borbe was also called into action with a couple of important saves. In the second period Palace’s Ashleigh Weerden should have done better when clean through on goal.

Arsenal eventually sealed the win deep into stoppage time when Stina Blackstenius finished calmly after good work from Beth Mead.

Crystal Palace, who reached the last eight at the expense of WSL sides Leicester City and London City Lionesses, exit with credit. Their performance against top-flight opposition will offer confidence heading into the second half of their campaign.

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Chelsea delivered an emphatic performance to book their place in the last four with a thumping 9–1 victory over Liverpool.

The Blues took control early, with Sam Kerr netting twice inside the opening 20 minutes – both composed finishes after being played through by Niamh Charles and Guro Reiten respectively, capitalising on poor Liverpool defending.

Wieke Kaptein added a third on 21 minutes, spinning on the edge of the box before finding the bottom corner, and Aggie Beever-Jones made it four just after the half-hour mark, latching onto Reiten’s long through ball and lobbing the advancing goalkeeper.

The second half followed the same pattern. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd curled in from the edge of the area on 53 minutes to make it five. Liverpool responded through Jenna Clark, who headed home from a corner, but Chelsea resumed control quickly.

Kaneryd’s second came via a close-range deflection, before Sjoeke Nüsken headed in from a long Charles delivery. Kaneryd completed her hat-trick by nodding in a rebound after Nüsken struck the bar. Millie Bright rounded off the scoring with a classy one-two and quality finish.

Chelsea now advance to a blockbuster semi-final against Manchester City, while Liverpool exit the competition in humbling fashion.

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Manchester United came from behind for the second time in a week against Tottenham to book their place in the League Cup semi‑finals with a hard-fought 2–1 victory.

Spurs started brightly and took the lead on 16 minutes through Drew Spence, who volleyed superbly into the top corner to stun the hosts. United looked dangerous from set pieces and created several chances from corners, but a series of goalmouth scrambles went unconverted before the break.

Eventually, United’s pressure relented in the second half. Jess Park pulled them level with a composed first-time finish after a clever cutback from Fridolina Rolfö. The tempo lifted as United chased a winner, and they found it late on. Rolfö turned sharply in the box and finished low into the corner on 86 minutes following good work down the left by Melvine Mallard.

Tottenham will be frustrated to have let another lead slip against United. United’s never-say-die resilience now earns them a semi-final showdown with rivals Arsenal.

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Manchester City signed off 2025 in style with a dominant 5–1 victory over West Ham United to reach the Subway League Cup semi‑finals.

City made a lightning start in east London, scoring twice inside the opening eight minutes. Kerolin reacted quickest to a parried effort from Bunny Shaw to tap in from close range (3′), before Lauren Hemp doubled the lead five minutes later with a tidy finish from Grace Clinton’s pinpoint through ball.

West Ham responded well and pulled one back on 26 minutes. Riko Ueki cut inside from the right and finished sharply at the near post to give the Hammers hope.

However, City quickly regained their grip on the match. Grace Clinton restored the two-goal advantage, rifling a second-attempt effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.

The second half saw more of the same. Shaw added City’s fourth with a looping header from an Alex Greenwood set-piece, and Laura Coombs made it five, finishing high into the net from a Lauren Hemp cutback.

West Ham battled but struggled defensively throughout, while City’s attack – led by the relentless Shaw – looked sharp ahead of a semi-final clash with Chelsea.

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