Womens Football / Arsenal 4-1 Leeds

Latchy

Following on from the wimmins GAA thread, i watched the ladies football cup final on bbc 1 this afternoon were Arsenal once again won the cup beaten Leeds 4-1, the same team they beat from last years final in a great game .There are 3 irish internationals currently playing for Arsenal ladies .I have being watching the ladies play for several years now and unlike the mens ,you very rarely get a bad incident,tackle or red card and it's makes a change from the usual male shananigans . A lot of great talents on show and much more easy on the eyes .Looking foreward to the wimmins euro championship next year .:)

kaimera

pics or there is no such thing :pac:

Latchy

? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/7381826.stm FA Cup win secures Arsenal Double
By David Ornstein
















Arsenal maintained their record of never having lost an FA Cup final

Three goals in six minutes saw Arsenal make light work of Leeds to win the FA Cup and secure a domestic Double.

The Gunners were frustrated in the opening 45 minutes but after the break the league champions took control.

Kelly Smith's hooked effort, Jayne Ludlow's neat finish and a deflected Lianne Sanderson shot put Arsenal on course for victory in Nottingham.

Jessica Clarke headed Leeds back into the game but Smith tapped a late fourth to secure a record ninth Cup triumph.

The result at the City Ground maintains Arsenal's 100 per cent record in FA Cup finals and they have now won 29 major trophies in 16 years.

Having just sealed their fifth successive Premier League title, they came into the game as overwhelming favourites.

Arsenal beat Leeds 4-0 in March and 5-0 in the 2006 FA Cup final, and have suffered only one defeat in more than two years of domestic football.

And the gulf in class was evident from the outset as Rick Passmoor's side soaked up waves of pressure.

Arsenal spent lengthy periods of the first half encamped in their opponents' territory but they met stubborn resistance in the form of goalkeeper Carly Telford.

Alex Scott had already seen a scuffed effort cleared off the line before Smith saw her sixth-minute snap shot repelled by England's third-choice goalkeeper.

Two minutes later the 20-year-old expertly tipped Karen Carney's thunderous drive onto the cross-bar.

Telford palmed away Sanderson's close-range shot and then athletically tipped Ludlow's 25-yard effort over for a corner.

Arsenal, who won the quadruple last season, continued to carve out a plethora of clear openings but a combination of their own profligacy and Telford's acrobatics kept them at bay.

Telford produced a wonderful double save to deny Scott before Arsenal and England captain Faye White wasted a glorious chance when she headed Carney's cross high and wide from eight yards.

Leeds did have the ball in the net before half-time but Amanda Barr's lob was ruled out for off-side and Arsenal goalkeeper Emma Byrne was forced to claw Sue Smith's corner off the line.

But Arsenal finished the half by regaining control and carried their momentum into the second period.

In the 54th minute Rachel Yankey eased through midfield and slid a pass to Smith, who cleverly turned the ball beyond Telford.

Leeds were visibly tiring and four minutes later Ludlow ghosted in behind their back four to divert Sanderson's free-kick through Telford's legs.

And on the hour mark Sanderson continued her prolific goalscoring form by netting for the 51st time in all competitions, albeit with the help of a deflection.

Leeds were in no mood to be embarrassed and, when a long-range strike from skipper Smith rebounded off the bar, Clarke headed home to give the underdogs hope.

But their quest for a second allowed Arsenal to exploit gaping holes and, while they continued to squander one opportunities, Smith's second ensured the Cup would remain in north London.

---

Arsenal: Byrne, Scott, White, Asante, Phillip, Ludlow, Grant (Tracey 74), Carney, Smith, Yankey (Davison 74), Sanderson (Fleeting 74).
Subs Not Used: Spencer, Flaherty.

Goals: Smith 54, Ludlow 59, Sanderson 60, Smith 83.

Leeds: Telford, Houghten, Bradley, Wright (Bonner 86), Culvin (Thackray 80), Walton, Moore (Sutcliffe 60), Holtham, Clarke, Barr, Smith.

Subs Not Used: Higgins, Hutton.

Booked: Culvin.

Goals: Clarke 69.

Xavi6

Isn't the Arsenal goalie Byrne meant to be a bit of a goer? Pretty sure someone on boards said thay gave her a squirt before.

Latchy

Really? and who might this bordie be ?

she was probably the best looker on the field today for sure, yes

* see if i can find a pic *

Xavi6

Arsenal keeper Emma Byrne -

Latchy

The lovley Emma in action for ireland against Germany

trout

This is the second sports themed thread to appear here today.
One was moved here by a circuituous route ... and this one appears to be home grown.

Is this forum now BGRH & Wimmins Sports ?

*checks sign* :cool:

kaimera

Do BGRH brothers not appreciate the female form?

sports + women has to be a winning forumla here right?

Latchy

Yup, i think it adds a new dimension as an alternitive to the drunken shananignas you find in the bar and another form of male appriciation