Chelsea Claims League Cup Victory in First of Four Clashes with Manchester City
Chelsea secured the first trophy of the season, defeating Manchester City in the Women's League Cup final at Pride Park, maintaining their unbeaten record and keeping their quadruple hopes alive. This match marked just the beginning of an unusual situation where these two powerhouse teams will face each other four times in just 12 days.
Sonia Bompastor's Chelsea side, while perhaps not delivering their most impressive performance, demonstrated their winning mentality. "It feels great for sure, I'm really happy. The performance was maybe not a great one but we find a way to win the game," Bompastor said after claiming her first trophy with Chelsea. "City are a really good team so it was a tough game, but we were expecting that. We created some opportunities and did enough to win this game."
The celebrations for Chelsea will be brief and controlled. According to Bompastor, players have a curfew and will be in bed before 9:00 PM because they'll face City again in just four days for their Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg. The Chelsea manager believes winning this first encounter provides a "big advantage" psychologically but stressed the importance of staying focused.
"Psychologically it's really important to win the first one," she explained. "Of course, it won't be the main element going into the next game but in terms of confidence, it's really positive. You always recover better when you win games."
Manchester City, now under interim manager Nick Cushing who stepped in following Gareth Taylor's sudden dismissal just days before the final, showed plenty of promise despite the defeat. City created numerous chances and even equalized in the second half before an unfortunate Yui Hasegawa own goal restored Chelsea's lead.
Cushing, who previously enjoyed a successful seven-year spell at City and won the Women's League Cup with them in 2016, remains positive about their prospects in the upcoming matches. "I'm a simple guy. This feeling that you get when you lose finals - if that is not enough motivation, then we are playing the wrong game," he stated. "If watching that game back doesn't give you the belief that you can go on and win... we did enough to win the game and we had many moments."
Chelsea captain Millie Bright emphasized the significance of momentum when facing the same opponent repeatedly. "Momentum in football is just such a big thing, especially when you are playing the same opponent four times in a row. It is so important to be champions," she said.
The next three encounters between these teams could shape both clubs' seasons dramatically. City, while out of the WSL title race, must secure a top-three finish to qualify for next season's Champions League. Meanwhile, Chelsea remains on course for a potential quadruple and won't want to lose ground in any competition.
Bompastor summarized her winning philosophy clearly: "I know this team has more than we showed today. But when you play with elite clubs, your job is to win games. That is the most important thing. You have to find a way to win. I would love to have both - I would be the most happiest person. But if it's not possible, the one thing I would pick is winning."
As both teams prepare for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg, Bright acknowledged the unusual situation: "We have to be prepared for anything. We could be seeing changes. You never know what you are coming up against. It is an unusual position for two teams to be in and I don't think it's ever happened before. They are in the same position as we are."
