Chelsea Women win FA Cup to seal domestic Treble as Baltimore sinks Man Utd

Daily Mirror

18-05-2025

Sandy Baltimore's calm penalty set Chelsea on their way to a deserved FA Cup win as head coach Sonia Bompastor completed the domestic Treble in her first season at the club.
Baltimore converted from 12 yards a minute before half-time to breach Manchester United's resistance before substitute Catarina Macario headed home a second after 85 minutes and Baltimore then converted a close-range third in added time.
Bompastor's women had already sealed the WSL and Conti Cup trophies in her maiden campaign having replaced Emma Hayes last summer and they were the better team for the majority of this encounter in front of a bumper crowd of 74,000.
Marc Skinner's United, who won the Cup for the first time last season, defended well for long spells but were unable to turn strong starts in both halves into many clearcut chances.
United had started well, enjoying plenty of possession and territory without really making Hannah Hampton work in the Chelsea goal. But the WSL champions soon got into the groove.
Aggie Beever-Jones, Mayra Ramirez and Baltimore all brought saves from Phallon Tullis-Joyce and the pressure finally told approaching the break when Celin Bizet fouled Erin Cuthbert and referee Stacey Fullicks had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Baltimore sent Tullis-Joyce the wrong way with a calm left-footed finish.
In response United boss Skinner brought Ella Toone on at the break and the England star, a surprise omission from the starting line-up and no stranger to scoring big goals at Wembley, forced Hampton into a solid stop within six minutes of entering the fray.
But United's strong start was soon stifled by Chelsea again and Gabby George came a whisker away from gifting the Treble-chasers a second goal when she almost diverted a Niamh Charles cross from the left into her own net. The ball zipped a couple of inches wide and from the ensuing corner substitute Macario shot harmlessly wide.
Macario would not miss with her second opportunity however as Baltimore's free kick from the right was met by the forward's forehead and she directed it clinically home to secure the Blues' domestic treble before Baltimore added a third in the first of 10 minutes added time when getting on the end of Wieke Kaptein's delivery.
Tennis legend Serena Williams, whose husband Alexis Ohanian this week bought a 10 per cent stake in Chelsea, was among those in the crowd. United were not represented by Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Wembley, though Avram Glazer was present.