Latest news with #Fujino
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chelsea clinch Subway Women's League Cup crown
By Laura Howard Chelsea kept their dreams of a quadruple alive as they defeated Manchester City 2-1 to win the Subway Women's League Cup at Pride Park. The Blues struck first as Mayra Ramirez bundled home a rebound at the near post to provide the advantage inside the opening 10 minutes. Chelsea could have had it wrapped up as Ramirez and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd missed big chances for the Blues, and that allowed City back into the game in the 64th minute through Aoba Fujino's stunning individual effort. But Chelsea secured victory in the cruelest fashion as Ramirez saw her cross turned into the net by Yui Hasegawa to give the Blues the winner in the 77th minute. It gives Sonia Bompastor her first piece of silverware in English football, with her side remaining unbeaten this season as they now eye the other three competitions that they remain involved in. YOUR SUBWAY WOMEN'S LEAGUE CUP WINNERS 2025: CHELSEA! 🏆 — Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) March 15, 2025 Bompastor flexed her depth as she made four changes from their Adobe Women's FA Cup victory against Crystal Palace even in the absence of Naomi Girma, Keira Walsh and Guro Reiten. Interim Manchester City boss Nick Cushing was more reserved in his first team selection, making just one change from Gareth Taylor's winning Adobe Women's FA Cup line-up as Fujino returned to replace Jess Park. Chelsea got off to the brighter start as Rytting Kaneryd made a surging run down the centre of the pitch to get a shot away in the first minute. After a further scare for City, in the form of their star striker Khadija Shaw coming off worse in a collision with Millie Bright, they started to build momentum of their own. Fujino was unlucky not to find a teammate when she cut the ball back into the centre of the box while Hannah Hampton was forced to claim from a corner under pressure from Shaw, who was able to continue. Chelsea then made the breakthrough after just eight minutes, with Ramirez grabbing the all-important opener. Lauren James threaded a deftly executed through-ball into the path of Ramirez to put the Colombian through on goal at the edge of the box. MAYRA RAMIREZ DOING WHAT SHE DOES GOALS 🔥#SubwayWLC — Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) March 15, 2025 While Ramirez found her first shot saved, an awkward ricochet of Laia Aleixandri meant she was able to bundle home the rebound to give Chelsea the advantage. But the now trailing City would not hand over the trophy easily as Shaw saw a shot blocked before Leila Ouahabi forced Hampton to tip her effort round the post for a corner. It was a spell of City dominance that saw Fujino with the best opportunity as she found space to shoot from the right of the box following a quickly taken corner. The Japanese international attempted to find the far post with a curled effort but Hampton proved equal to it. It was Chelsea who should have doubled their lead, however, as Ramirez once more found herself clear on goal before the break. This time she had longer to think, travelling a quarter of the pitch before arriving at the box where she attempted to round Ayaka Yamashita before misjudging her angles and firing into the side-netting. In a game of ever-shifting momentum, Sandy Baltimore soon proved decisive at the other end as she made a crucial block in the box to stop Shaw's goal bound shot. It signalled the start of another sustained period of City pressure but not one they could make pay, as they finished the first-half a goal down. It was Chelsea who came out the stronger after the restart as Ramirez saw a shot blocked from close-range before Lucy Bronze was booked for simulation in the box. They seemed the more likely to score as Rytting Kaneryd found herself in behind to the right of the box on 60 minutes. The cleanest of strikes from @ManCityWomen's Aoba Fujino 🧼🇯🇵#SubwayWLC — Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) March 15, 2025 But once more Yamashita's presence proved vital as the keeper produced an instinctive save one-on-one from close-range to ensure Chelsea's advantage was kept to one goal. It was a miss Rytting Kaneryd would live to regret as minutes later Fujino put City back on level terms with a stunning strike. The winger picked up the ball deep on the right before surging into the box to unleash a blistering shot from a tight angle to haul her side back into the game. It provided a renewed impetus to the Citizens as Shaw soon found herself through on goal with the Chelsea goalkeeper but this time Hampton was equal to it, blocking the shot with an outstretched leg. But while an enlivened City would see Shaw spurn a further audacious effort on the turn, they would have the ball in the wrong net shortly after. Goalscorer Ramirez's dangerous cross from the right saw a mistouch from Hasegawa turn the ball into her own net at the far post to restore Chelsea's advantage with just over 10 minutes remaining. Chelsea looked hungry for more,too, as Wieke Kaptein forced a block in added time before Soeke Nusken blazed the rebound over the bar. But the Blues had done enough to get over the line and claim a first Women's League Cup title since 2021, and the third in the club's history.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fujino returns for League Cup final
Aoba Fujino is set to return to the starting line-up ahead ahead of City's League Cup final clash with Chelsea. The Japan international had been ruled out of our previous two fixtures with a foot injury, but has been given the nod for our clash with Chelsea. It's the only change from Nick Cushing as our Interim Head Coach prepares to take charge of his first game after returning to the Club earlier this week. Jess Park drops to the bench in Fujino's place, with the winger expected to start on the right flank in Saturday's 12:15 (UK) kick-off. City XI: Yamashita, Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri (C), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Miedema, Roord, Fujino, Fowler, Shaw. Subs: Keating, Layzell, Coombs, Wienroither, Kerolin Nicoli, Park, Blindkilde Brown, Oyama, Murphy. WATCH: Chelsea v City: Our Subway League Cup final awaits... Ayaka Yamashita starts between the sticks with a back four of Kerstin Casparij, Gracie Prior, Laia Aleixandri and Leila Ouahabi. Yui Hasegawa is expected to sit at the base of the City midfield three, allowing Dutch internationals Vivianne Miedema and Jill Roord to support the attack. At the sharp end, Fujino will start on the right flank, with Mary Fowler occupying the opposite wing. Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw will then lead the line as centre-forward. WATCH: This is where we want to be, says Shaw Aoba Fujino has really hit the ground running in the new year for City, picking up two goals and three assists in her last five appearances. Her dynamism out on the flank could prove vital for the Blues this afternoon once again as she looks to recapture that form after a brief injury lay-off. With a low centre of gravity and an excellent eye for a pass, she's not only a threat herself in front of goal, but is also capable of unlocking defences by bringing others into the game. Gracie Prior has only made ten senior appearances for City, but you can see the young centre-half growing in confidence every time she features. The 20-year-old will line-up alongside Aleixandri this afternoon in what is perhaps her biggest test so far in a City shirt. However, her composure on the ball and strong physical presence mean she's more than up to the challenge. -Chelsea and Manchester City will compete in the Women's League Cup final for a second time, also doing so in 2021-22 when the London side took a 1-0 lead before City won the trophy with a 3-1 victory. -Both Chelsea and Manchester City are competing in their sixth Women's League Cup final – Chelsea won their first two (2020, 2021) but have been runners-up in each of the last three seasons, while City have won the trophy in four of their five finals (2014, 2016, 2019, 2022), losing 1-0 to Arsenal in 2018. -Manchester City's victory against Arsenal in the semi-final this season was their 50th win in the Women's League Cup, becoming the second side with 50+ victories after Arsenal (55). The side with the third-most wins are Chelsea (40). -Chelsea have won 20 of their last 24 matches in the Women's League Cup (D1 L3) but their three defeats in that time have all been in the finals in 2022, 2023 and 2024. -Vivianne Miedema scored in the 2018 Women's League Cup final for Arsenal against the Blues. The only player to score in the final for two different clubs is Ellen White (2011 and 2013 for Arsenal, 2022 for Manchester City). As always, you can follow Saturday's League Cup final on the official Man City app. Our Matchday Centre coverage will get under way from 10:45 (UK), providing you with all the pre-match build-up, stats and analysis before live text and audio commentary from kick-off. A special Matchday Live show, featuring special guests Karen Bardsley, Toni Duggan and Steve Howey, will also get under way from 11:10 to offer a City-centric feel to your match experience. From kick-off, Nick Walsh and Karen Bardsley will call the action from the commentary box while our text updates continue. Make sure you have push notifications turned on so you get live updates as they happen via our app. After the final whistle, a detailed match report plus reaction from both interim Head Coach Cushing and the players will then be available to view. Highlights from the final, plus a CITY+ full-match replay, will also be made available four hours after full-time on Saturday.
