Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea: Stina Blackstenius’ extra-time winner defends Gunners League Cup title with first silverware of the season going to Jonas Eidevall’s side… after Frida Maanum collapsed off the ball
There is often a question mark over how much the League Cup means to clubs. In the space of 30 minutes this final went from meaning nothing at all to absolutely everything and more.
In the 95th minute, Arsenal had seen their midfielder, Frida Maanum, collapse on the pitch. After a worrying nine-minute stoppage, she was stretchered off with an oxygen mask – stable and conscious.
Deep into extra-time, Stina Blackstenius won it for Arsenal and we saw how much it meant to both managers as tempers flared on the touchline.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes shoved her counterpart Jonas Eidevall after the Gunners manager had fronted up to midfielder Erin Cuthbert in the final seconds.
‘I think there’s a way to conduct yourself on the touchline,’ Hayes said. ‘I’m not down for male aggression on the touchline. Fronting up with players, for me that’s unacceptable. I don’t think it’s okay to behave like that. He got a yellow card and in fact he should probably have been sent off. It’s not the first time he’s been told about his behaviour on the touchline.
Arsenal secured back-to-back League Cup titles after victory over Chelsea on Sunday night
Stina Blackstenius (middle) scored a dramatic late goal to clinch the title for the Gunners
There was little to separate the two sides and, later, the two managers after a touch-line spat
Chelsea’s players were left defeated after Blackstenius found the back of the net in extra time
Eidevall responded by calling Hayes irresponsible. ‘I don’t think it’s the truth,’ Eidevall said. ‘I definitely don’t see me as aggressive in that situation, I think that’s very irresponsible putting that label onto it.
‘I think there is definitely a way you behave in the technical area, there is also a way you behave after the game, being a good winner, but you also need to be a good loser and be responsible in both those situations.’
Chelsea had been on course for a quadruple coming into this game. For Arsenal, this was the only trophy they could realistically win. The Gunners had won the first league meeting this season 4-1 but the Blues had come out on top with a 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge two weeks earlier.
This time, there was little to choose between both teams. Chelsea did have the ball in the net midway through the first half but Mayra Ramirez’s strike was ruled out by VAR after replays showed Cuthbert had handled in the build-up.
Both teams had one clear-cut chance in the second half, with Hannah Hampton saving from Blackstenius before Manuela Zinsberger kept out Lauren James at the other end.
Extra-time was approaching when Maanum collapsed off the ball. Eidevall signalled to the medics while Katie McCabe also shouted for attention. Molineux fell silent as paramedics worked on the midfielder for nine minutes in total, before she was eventually taken off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask.
‘This is probably one of the hardest situations because it looks very scary when Frida goes down,’ Eidevall said. ‘Of course, it’s very easy to get thrown both with focus and emotion to that point. But the reality of it is that we have a great medical team.
Regulation time ended in a stalemate, forcing both sides into extra-time at Molineux
There was concern amongst supporters after Frida Maanum collapsed to the ground
The midfielder left the pitch after medics rushed to her attention during added time
Chelsea’s chances were just as good, as Lauren James (right) found space on the left to drive through on goal, but her shot was saved by the legs of Manuela Zinsberger
‘There’s nothing we can do in that moment to improve that situation, but we can have control over how we’re playing football and that’s what we needed to control. That’s what Frida wanted us to do as well, to be able to make her a champion.’
Arsenal did just that when Blackstenius provided the game’s only moment of quality in the 116th minute, finishing past Hampton after meeting Caitlin Foord’s cut-back.
This was the last time Hayes and Eidevall will face each other, with the Chelsea boss departing for the United States at the end of the season. It is a rivalry that has produced fireworks and Hayes inflicted one last parting dig at her opponent. ‘This isn’t our only competition. This is one of four that we were competing for.’
Eidevall, as ever, had an answer. ‘I’m happy with the way I conduct myself and others need to look in the mirror and see if they’re happy with themselves.’
