The 2007 FA Women's Premier League Cup final was the 16th final of the FA Women's Premier League Cup, England's main women's league cup competition before it was replaced by the FA WSL Cup in 2011. It took place on 4th March 2007 and saw Arsenal Ladies defeat Leeds Ladies 1–0 at Glanford Park, Scunthorpe.[1] [2]
Jayne Ludlow scored the winner for Arsenal in stoppage time, and Leeds's Sophie Bradley was named Player of the Match.[3]
Both teams faced four clubs in their route to the final.[4] [5]
| Round | Leeds United | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition | Score | ||
| 1st | Cardiff City (H) | 4–0 | |
| 2nd | Barnet (H) | 2–0 | |
| 3rd | Millwall Lionesses (H) | 2–1 | |
| 4th | Charlton Athletic (A) | 2–2 | |
| Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue | |||
A second round home tie against Barnet saw Karen Burke repeat her brace to give Leeds a 2–0 victory.[7]
The ensuing home quarter-final against Millwall proved somewhat more difficult, but goals from Karen Burke and Susan Smith saw Leeds walk away 2–1 victors.[8]
Leeds faced Charlton Athletic away in the semi-final and took the lead through a Lucy Ward header, before the hosts drew level before half-time courtesy of Gemma Ritchie. Charlton took the lead in the 56th minute with a strike from Natasha Dowie before Leeds drew level in the 75th minute through Nicole Emmanuel. The game progressed to extra time but saw no more goals, leading to a penalty shootout. Emmanuel scored the winning penalty for Leeds to finish their route to the final.[9]
| Round | Arsenal | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition | Score | ||
| 1st | Doncaster Rovers Belles (H) | 4–1 | |
| 2nd | Birmingham City (H) | 3–0 | |
| 3rd | Nottingham Forest (H) | 9–0 | |
| 4th | Chelsea (H) | 4–1 | |
| Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue | |||
Arsenal faced a second round home tie against Birmingham City, running out 3–0 victors by way of a Julie Fleeting brace and a goal from Gemma Davison.[11]
The quarter-final saw Arsenal face Nottingham Forest at home, where they ran out 9–0 victors from a Lianne Sanderson hat-trick, two goals apiece from Katie Chapman and Kelly Smith, as well as a goal each from Sian Larkin and Rachel Yankey.[12]
Facing London rivals Chelsea in the semi-final at home, Julie Fleeting scored twice in the opening 17 minutes, before Ciara Grant scored Arsenal's third, with Julie Fleeting completing her hat-trick in the 65th minute, to give Arsenal a 4–1 victory, overcoming Chelsea's only goal from former Arsenal youth player Ellen White in the 75th minute to send themselves to the final.
Arsenal captain Faye White missed the game with injury, passing the captain's armband to Jayne Ludlow.[13]
The match kicked off at 14:30 in front of a crowd of 3,688.[14] Leeds took an early upper hand in a relatively even first half, but neither Leeds's Rachel McArthur or Arsenal's Jayne Ludlow could finish early chances. Ludlow struck the bar twice, and McArthur was unable to pounce on a poor clearance from Emma Byrne. Leeds substitute Jessica Clarke nearly provided Arsenal's Anita Asante a chance for goal with a misplaced backheel before both Kelly Smith and Karen Carney saw efforts cleared off the line. Arsenal eventually found the winning goal in the second minute of stoppage time, after a corner from Carney found Ludlow for a late volley to secure Arsenal's 9th competition victory.
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| Player of the Match: Sophie Bradley (Leeds United) | Match rules
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