Chelsea to meet Man Utd in Women´s League Cup showpiece after narrow semi-final wins

Chelsea will meet Manchester United in the Women’s League Cup final, after they registered 1-0 victories over Manchester City and Arsenal, respectively.

Both clubs battled to hard-fought wins away from home in their last-four ties, with Chelsea reaching a seventh straight League Cup final and United doing so for the very first time.

Sonia Bompastor’s Blues, who won a domestic treble last campaign, were on the road against current Women’s Super League leaders City, but Wieke Kaptein’s header was enough for them to progress.

Kaptein towered above goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita to nod home from almost on the goal line four minutes before half-time, after Sandy Baltimore got to the byline to hang over a tempting cross.

City dominated for long periods at Joie Stadium but were unable to find an equaliser, with both Vivianne Miedema and Kerstin Casparij striking the post.

Chelsea shot-stopper Hannah Hampton also denied Miedema and Yui Hasegawa in the second half, with City finishing on 2.36 expected goals (xG) to the Blues’ 1.91 but still succumbing to a frustrating elimination.

Finalist feels. pic.twitter.com/jTM0wj3NYN

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 21, 2026

At Meadow Park, meanwhile, a mistake from Arsenal goalkeeper Anneke Borbe gifted Elisabeth Terland the decisive goal as United won another tight affair.

Borbe passed straight to Ellen Wangerheim in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, and she teed up Terland to give United an advantage they would not surrender.

Arsenal winger Olivia Smith was sent off for two bookable offences just after the hour mark, following an unnecessary foul on Caitlin Foord deep inside the Arsenal half.

The Gunners still ended the game with 21 shots to United’s three, winning the xG battle by 2.04 to 0.49, though they only hit the target three times, while the Red Devils did so on four occasions.

WHAT A FEELING pic.twitter.com/Ot9Px3ifWv

— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) January 21, 2026

Data Debrief: Chelsea run continues, United finally go all the way

Only Arsenal (10) have now reached more League Cup finals than Chelsea (seven), who last lost a game that wasn’t the final in this competition in 2018-19 (in the semi-finals against Man City).

For United, meanwhile, this was something of a breakout victory. They lost four of their first five knockout matches against the WSL’s ‘Big Three’ of Arsenal (W1 L1), Chelsea (L2) and Man City (L1).

But they will now participate in their first League Cup final on March 15, having previously fallen short in the semi-finals three times.