Kerr scores four as Chelsea take the easy route to final
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It is difficult to take this competition seriously after the two teams awarded byes to the quarter-finals –
Arsenal and Chelsea – booked their places in a final that now feels greatly devalued by the fact they each needed to win just two matches to get there.
This one-sided semi-final victory, in which Sam Kerr scored four times, was befitting of a cup in which the format is just as uneven.
Owing to playing in the group stages of the Champions League, Arsenal and Chelsea went straight to the quarter-finals. Manchester City will have won more matches (five) than whoever wins the final on March 5 at Selhurst Park.
This will be a 12th successive year in which one of Arsenal, Chelsea or City lift the trophy. Chelsea head to the final for a fourth straight year and in supreme form.
Last night’s tie looked settled as early as the third minute, when Kerr was unchallenged to turn home Guro Reiten’s free-kick. Lauren James slid Fran Kirby through for the second, before Kerr lashed
in the third and completed a hattrick on the stroke of half-time.
James powered in the fifth shortly after the break, Kerr headed in her fourth and Reiten added the seventh on a dismal night for Paul Konchesky’s side that was at odds with their impressive display in holding Arsenal to a goalless draw in the league last Sunday.
The only note of concern was a potential knee injury suffered by Kirby, who hobbled off late in the first half. She was named in the England squad on Tuesday for next Thursday’s meeting with South Korea at Stadium MK.