All trophy wins are drenched in glory but the manner of this — not only defending their League Cup title and ensuring only Arsenal sit alone in the annals of women’s football quadruple history but in a penalty shoot-out after the sight of a teammate stretchered off the pitch — makes this all the more glorious.
Any elation at Arsenal's 1-0 extra-time victory over Chelsea on Sunday evening ultimately pales in comparison to the worrying scenes in injury time of regular time as Arsenal's Frida Maanum was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after collapsing off the ball. The midfielder received oxygen and treatment before being carried off. Updates arrived swiftly that the Norway international was conscious and talking.
As Stina Blackstenius's shot crashed into the back of the net with five minutes of extra-time remaining, the roar from the Arsenal fans behind the goal was deafening, cathartic in its release. Arsenal remain the only English women's club to lay claim to the quadruple and from their extra-time display, dripping in ferocity, they arguable deserve to keep history on their side.
How this match would go was anyone’s guess. The tale of the tape is fraught but balanced between Emma Hayes and Jonas Eidevall, neither managing to ever pull away with an obvious dominion over the other. Fittingly in this final iteration of their rivalry, the deciding margins would so slim as to be decided in extra-time.
The team sheets were predictably unpredictable in their tactical revelations. Chelsea started the better of the two and in the eighth minute a flitting half-chance ierupted into a big save from Manuela Zinsberger as Lauren James left Lotte Wubben-Moy for dust and cracked a fierce shot at the Arsenal keeper.
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Lauren James battles with Kim Little in the middle of the park (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)The combination of James and Mayra Ramirez cut Hayes’ side the more dangerous, but Arsenal grew into the match. Twice Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton, almost faultless throughout this tense contest, had to have her wits about her to keep things level as the Gunners sliced through midfield. Chelsea thought they’d opened the scoring as Mayra Ramirez drilled a low shot into Zinsberger’s bottom corner with 20 minutes gone, but a VAR check ruled out the goal due to Erin Cuthbert’s clear handling of the ball in the build-up.
The threat of first blood drawn fuelled Arsenal. Twice Cloe Lacasse came close, linking well with Frida Maanum but the Blues defence refused to bend, twice Jess Carter and Cuthbert coming up with big interventions. Kate McCabe cracked a wicked strike which Hampton did well to tip over the bar. Wubben-Moy volleyed the subsequent corner over the bar.
Frida Maanum is tackled by Jess Carter and Erin Cuthbert (Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)The concerted pressure continued, Chelsea doing themselves no favours as they toiled to string passes together. But Arsenal showed vulnerability. A rare misplaced pass out from the back was nearly capitalised on by Chelsea and the Blues were left slightly aggrieved just before half-time as Eve Perisset's free-kick looked to be handled by Katie McCabe in the box but no penalty was awarded.
Arsenal were forced into a change at half-time with Leah Williamson replaced by Laia Codina. The second-half continued with familiar themes from the first: a tantalising open affair with neither showing a much-missed clinical edge.
Arsenal did well to exploit Chelsea's high-line with pace in behind, but the Blues blistered between lines as they committed more bodies forward. Stina Blackstenius, one of the stars from Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Chelsea in last season's Conti Cup final, put Kadeisha Buchanan under consistent pressure.
Chelsea were indebted to Hampton who pulled off a superb save after Victoria Pelova pilfered Cuthbert in midfield and slipped Blackstenius through on goal in a chance destined to break the deadlock. But Hayes' faith in her young keeper was once again vindicated.
Hannah Hampton denies Katie McCabe with a finger tip save (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)Chances continued, but the fact that with 80 minutes gone, both sides had accumulated a total of five shots on target (three for Chelsea, two for Arsenal) spoke to the dearth of incisiveness on display.
James was on hand to provide Chelsea with another shot on target with just five minutes of regular time remaining, a splayed leg from Zinsberger denying the 22-year-old from a tight angle. Next it was Hampton's turn to make a big save, leaping onto a dangerous pass from Emily Fox before Blackstenius could reach it.
The contest was stopped momentarily after Maanum collapsed, resuming only once the midfielder was stretchered off the pitch and down the tunnel.
Arsenal roared forward in extra-time, their energy levels almost ferocious as they hunted down an opener, their fans growing more vociferous with every boot swing. Blackstenius was once again through on goal but blazed her effort. James followed similarly. At which point penalties seemed a judicious way to end a contest with so little to separate either side.
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But there is always time for a hero and finally, one emerged in Blackstenius, who latched onto to substitute Caitlin Foord's cross and battled through Cuthbert to break the deadlock with just five minutes of extra-time remaining.
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